LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 




frr; 



Shelf A.v>.'ai 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE LORD'S ONE BAPTISM. 



BY / 

Rev. B. J. SAVAGE. 



JAN 21 1892 

PHILADELPHIA *. 

AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
1420 Chestnut Street. 



^ 



■\%\\ 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1891, by the 

American Baptist Publication Society, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



o^ Congress 

WASHlNOTOir^' 



PREFACE. 



The following Bible studies had their 
origin in an agony of mind caused by the 
unhallowed rivalry of competing churches, 
and the manifold spiritual mischief resulting 
from these schisms in Christendom. 

The compiler was pastor of a church in one 
of the county seats of Connecticut, where there 
were also two Pedobaptist churches. When 
asked to assume this pastorate, being oppressed 
by the pitiable condition of the religious life, 
and of the kingdom of God in the town, he 
conceived that united effort by the churches (as 
far as practicable) for a common end, the king- 
dom of God, might be wise ; promising, under 
the divine blessing, a new power and effective- 
ness. In expressing these views to the deacons 
of his church, he found a hearty response. 

Having been located in the town but a short 

time, a meeting was called in one of the 

churches, to which the ministers and members 

3 



4 . PREFACE. 

of the other churches were specially invited. 
The minister of this church (Congregational) 
having called the meeting to order, stated that 
its object was to inquire whether, in view of 
the religious condition of the town, the other 
churches were minded to engage with his people 
in a " Union Effort." The writer, being called 
upon, answered for himself and church, " If 
the effort is to be union through and through, 
for the interests of the kingdom of God, as 
distinguished from the interests of any par- 
ticular church, we are with you heart and 
soul." This became the professed purpose of 
all present, and a covenant was made after the 
tenor of these words. 

The '^ Union Effort " was made, two Evan- 
gelists of earnest character helping in the 
work. It was crowned with success. Interest 
in the things of God revived, and evidently 
deepened. A goodly number were " hopefully 
converted;" and face to face with this phe- 
nomenon of " Unity," and its associated palpa- 
ble power, the alien, infidel world seemed to 
pause, breathless, astonished, gazing. 

At the end of two weeks' protracted, daily 



PREFACE. O 

effort, the two helpers left for another field. 
It seemed to the writer that the union of the 
forces should be sustained, and that the work for 
the common end, modified as time and circum- 
stances might demand, should go on. But one 
of the churches (Methodist), dissatisfied with 
the numerical results to themselves, drew out. 
The other two churches agreed together to 
continue the work. The Lord's Day evening 
services were to be held alternately at their 
respective places of worship. But the Con- 
gregational church soon exhibited its purpose 
to have these evening services uniformly at 
their own house of worship. This was, of 
course, objectionable; its sectarian, private 
motive, above the interests of the kingdom 
of God, being unmistakable. 

In connection with the "Effort," several 
additions were made to the churches. The 
writer baptized several young people, not 
without manifest envy on the part of leading 
members of the Pedobaptist churches. Sev- 
eral young converts, who wished to be bap- 
tized and become united with the church that 
practices " Baptism " being children of Con- 
1* 



6 PKEFACE. 

gregational parents, were positively forbidden 
by these parents to follow their convictions, 
and were lost to the church of their choice.^ 

The above picture will be recognized by the 
observer as a common one. Many a pastor 
who reads these words has been in the laby- 
rinth of such a situation. 

It is needless to say that the spirit which had 
existed before; which had made religion ap- 
pear as a few airy theories ; which had devel- 

^ The mischief of rival churches dividing families, 
otherwise than as Christ came to divide them, is 
patent here. Sometimes this unasked division as- 
sumes very distressing and obstructive forms. A 
case in point is that of a man and wife who were 
under appointment as missionaries to a foreign field. 
They were associated with the church of baptized 
believers, known as ** Baptist." The wife's parents 
and sisters have been under the churchly influ- 
ence of what is known as "High Church Episcopa- 
lianism," which vaunts itself as "Catholic." The 
result is, that where there should be such a concep- 
tion of the sublime character of the work of the 
missionary as would extort the "Go, and God speed, 
God be with you," there is unrelieved anguish, and 
the natural aversion to the separation, justified and 
sanctioned (as it seems to these friends), by the be- 
lief that the missionaries would be going on a " fool's 
errand," as propagators of error. 



PREFACE. / 

oped a crop of infidels, and made religion a 
weak, contemptible thing in their eyes — a 
spirit which put a period to our "Union 
Effort " for a common object ; which envied 
additions to another church, and forbade sons 
and daughters to follow their convictions, con- 
tinued its baleful operation. The churches 
were as far apart and of as private spirit as 
before, presenting the same confusion, the 
same weakly spectacle for the amusement and 
contempt and excuse of the alien, infidel world. 

Painfully conscious that the above-described 
situation is a common, in a relative sense an 
omnipresent one, and that the existence of 
rival religious bodies is its cause, the writer 
was driven to question its right to exist. 

Human nature being what it is, why should 
rival bodies exist in a divine, common religion, 
to gender (their natural offspring) a carnal 
rivalry — a spirit and temper diametrically 
opposed to the word of God ? 

In meditating upon this question, the in- 
evitable conclusion was duly reached, that the 
divisions among those who are called " Evan- 
gelical," who practice infant sprinkling, not 



8 PREFACE. 

being upon a " Thus saith the Lord,'"' or divine 
appointment, but upon mere matters of taste, 
or choice, all compatible with one communion, 
are superfluous and gratuitous. 

A body of immersed believers holding, as 
they do, that immersion is a positive appoint- 
ment and requirement of the Lord, he recog- 
nized as necessarily isolated. They could not 
deliberately fail to sustain their position with- 
out deliberate unfaithfulness to the Lord. 
Since then these constitute a necessarily isolated 
body, the correctness of the views which in- 
volve them inevitably in that position may 
well be subject to scrutiny. 

Connected with this immersed body; dis- 
tressed by the sectarian rivalries and their 
mischiefs; intenselv lono^inof for the unitv 
and unified action of all who love the Lord, 
that they might present a solid front to the 
enemy, a harmonious unity to the world ; de- 
siring to be immovably certified of the divine 
basis of such unitv and such action ; and de- 
termined to test to the uttermost the position 
of the immersed church, the compiler was 
driven afresh to the word of God. 



PREFACE. 9 

Possessed of some natural leaning toward 
infant sprinkling, he felt that should he dis- 
cover a Bible warrant, or even a license for 
this, it would be a grateful thing to him. Con- 
scious of the tenacity with which it is held and 
practiced by so many manifestly conscientious 
people, especially did he feel a secret sense 
that it would be gratifying to him if he found 
a Bible warrant for fraternizing into one body, 
irrespective of views and practices, regarding 
Baptism. 

The research is here placed before the 
student. 

Part I. is a collocation of the sacred Script- 
ures on the subject. They are tabulated and 
entitled according to their contents and teach- 
ings. The features of these teachings, which 
are brought into special notice in a given 
section or division, are seen by the use of 
italics in the text. The tables will be found 
to be full and complete. The comparisons call 
the attention to the affinities in the divine 
teaching. 

Part II. comprises exegetical notes, quota- 
tions, and reflections, which the Scriptures of 



10 PREFACE. 

the " collocation " urged upon the mind of the 
writer. 

The sections and divisions of both Parts are 
correspondent. 

The form of the book (two distinct "Parts") 
is designed to enable the reader to pursue the 
continuous thread of the Scriptures without 
interruption. The recurrence of the same 
Scriptures in the different sections and divi- 
sions, Scriptures which teach the various em- 
phasized truths, is with a view to the same end. 

The compiler confesses to have been startled 
by and to remain under a deep sense of the 
profusion and profundity of the eternal thought 
which Inspiration has connected with Chris- 
tian baptism. 

May the Holy Spirit, whose aid is contin- 
uously invoked by the reverent student of the 
word of God, and whose name and blessed work 
are so conspicuously associated in the New 
Testament with the ordinance, own, and bless, 
and effectively use these studies thereon, to the 
perpetual good of men, and of " The Church 
of God, which he acquired with his own blood." 
Amen. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface - 3 

PAET FIEST. 

COLLOCATIOK OF THE SCRIPTURES DIRECTLY 
BEARING ON BAPTISM. 

Section I. The Command of the Lord of Heaven 

and of Earth 17 

Section II. Disciples Executing and Submitting to 

the Lord's Command 17 

(a) At Pentecost 17 

(&) Philip and the Samaritans 19 

(c) Philip and the Eunuch 21 

{d) Ananias and Saul at Damascus 22 

(e) Peter and those in the House of Cornelius 23 

(f) Paul, Silas, and Luke at Philippi 25 

(g) Paul, Silas, the Philippian Jailer, and his 

House 26 

(h) Paul, Silas, Timothy, and the Corinthians 28 

(i) Paul and about Twelve Disciples at Ephesus... 29 

(j) Paul to the Corinthian Church 29 

(k) Paul's Question about those Baptized for the 

Dead 30 

SECTION III. Elements of the Lord's Command 31 

(A) Its Subjects 31 

1. The Lord to his Servants 31 

2. Peter and Disciples at Pentecost 32 

3. Samaritan Disciples 32 

4. The Ethiopian Eunuch 33 

11 



12 CONTEISTTS. 

PAGE 

5. Saul of Tarsus at Damascus 33 

6. Saul's own Account of the Matter 34 

7. Cornelius, his Kinsmen, and Friends 35 

8. Lydia and her Household 36 

9. The Philippian Jailer and his House 36 

10. Many Corinthians 37 

11. About Twelve " Disciples " in Ephesus 37 

12. Paul's Reference to his Baptizing Crispus, 

Gains, and the Household of Stephanas 38 

Note. Why John Declines to Baptize 39 

(B) Its Formula 42 

1. The Command 42 

2. Injunction of Peter at Pentecost 42 

3. Samaritan Disciples 43 

4. Injunction of Peter in the House of Cornelius 43 

5. Paul and Disciples at Ephesus 43 

6. Paul to the Church in Ephesus 44 

7. Paul to the Church in Corinth 44 

(C) Its Rite 45 

1. Philip and the Eunuch 45 

Section IV. Uniformity of Christian Baptism 46 

(A Reflection): 46 

1. Paul to the Church at Ephesus 46 

(a) One Baptism. Eph. 4:5 46 

Section V. Symbolic and Spiritual Import of 

Christian Baptism 46 

1. An Image of Overwhelming Suflfering 46 

{a) The Lord to the sons of Zebedee. Mark 10 : 

88, 39 46 

(b) The Lord to the Disciples. Luke 12 : 50 46 

2. Of the Fullness of the Holy Spirit and of Fire... 47 

(a) The Promise of the Lord. Acts 1 : 5 47 

(6) The Language of John the Baptist. Matt. 

3 : 11 ; Mark 1:8; Luke 3 : 16 ; see John 1 : 

25-34 47 

(c) Peter's Answer to Hel)rew Inquisitors. Acts 

11 : 16 47 



COlS^TENTS. 13 

PAGE 

3. Of Cleansing from Sin 47 

(a) Ananias to Saul of Tarsus. Acts 22 : 16 48 

(6) Paul to the Christians in Corinth. 1 Cor. 6 : 

9-U 48 

(c) Paul to Titus. Titus 3 : 3-7 48 

(d) Paul to the Church at Ephesus. Eph. 5 : 25-27 49 

4. Of Burial, Resurrection, a New Life 49 

(a) Paul to the Church in Colosse, Col. 2 : 12 49 

(&) Paul to the Church in Rome. Rom. 6 : 2-4.... 50 

5. A Seal of the Divine Proprietorship 50 

(a) Paul to the Church in Ephesus. Eph. 4 : 30... 50 

6. A Seal of Heirship and an Earnest of Inherit- 

ance 51 

(a) Paul to the Church in Ephesus. Eph. 1 : 13... 51 

(6) Paul to the Church in Corinth. 2 Cor. 1 :21... 51 

7. Community with the Christ, and thus with All 

who are his. See Acts 2 : 44-47 ; 4 : 32-35 51 

(a) Paul to the Church in Colosse. Col. 2 : 9-12... 51 

(6) Paul to the Church in Rome. Rom. 6 : 2-11... 62 

(c) Paul to the Church in Galatia. Gal. 3 : 26-29 53 

(d) Paul to the Church in Corinth. 1 Cor. 12 : 13.. 54 

8. Baptism Connected with Remission and Wash- 

ing away of Sius; with Justification ; with 
the Gift of the Holy Spirit ; with the Saving 
of the Soul; with Entrance into the King- 
dom of God 54 

(a) Peter at Pentecost. Acts 2 : 38 54 

(6) Ananias to Saul of Tarsus. Acts 22 ; 16 55 

(c) Paul to the Church at Corinth. 1 Cor. 6 : 11... 65 

{d) Paul to the Church in Ephesus. Eph. 3 : 25-27 55 

(e) Paul to Titus. Titus 3 : 5 55 

(/) Peter in his Letter to the Dispersion. 1 

Peter 3 : 18-22 55 

(g) The Lord to his Servants. Mark 16 : 16 67 

(7i) The Lord to Nicodemus. John 3 ; 5, 6 57 

Sectiot^ VI. Respecting Church, Petrine, and Indi- 
vidual Authority and Liberty in the Teaching 

and Commands of Christ 58 



14 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

(a) The Lord Respecting Church Authority. Matt. 

18 : 18 58 

(6) The Lord to Peter. Matt. 16 : 19 58 

(c) Words of the Apostle John. 2 John 9 59 

(d) The Lord to his Disciples. Matt. 28 : 19, 20 59 

Section VII. Divine Judgments upon Men who 
used another than the Divine Appointment in 

Jehovah's Service 60 

(a) Case of Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10 : 3 60 

Conclusion 61 



PAET SECOND. 

REFLECTIOKS ON THE SECTIONS OF PART FIRST. 

Section I. On the Command 62 

Section II. On his Disciples Executing and Sub- 
mitting to the Lord's Command 65 

Section III. On the Elements of the Lord's Com- 
mand 66 

(A) Its Subjects 66 

(B) The Formula 72 

(c) The Rite 74 

Section IV. On One Baptism 79 

Section V. On Symbolic and Spiritual Import of 

Christian Baptism : 79 

1. An Image of Overwhelming Suffering 79 

2. Emblem of the Fullness of the Holy Spirit, of 

Fire 80 

3. Of Cleansing from Sin 81 

4. Of the Burial and Resurrection. A New Life.... 82 

5. A Seal of the Divine Proprietorship 83 

6. A Seal of Heirship and an Earnest of Inherit- 

ance , 85 



CONTENTS. 15 

PAGE 

7. A Community with the Christ, and thus with 

all thatare his 87 

8. Baptism Connected with Remission and Wash- 

ing away of Sins ; with Justification, with 
Reception of the Gift of the Holy Spirit ; 
with the Saving of the Soul; with Entrance 
into the Kingdom of God 108 

Section VI. Respecting Church, Petrine, and In- 
dividual Authority in the Teaching and 
Commands of the Lord 113 

Section VII. Divine Judgments upon Men who 
used another than a Divine Appointment 
in Jehovah's Service 114 



THE LORD'S ONE BAPTISM. 



PART I. 



Section I. — The command of the lord of 

HEAVEN AND EARTH. 



'*And Jesus came to them [disciples] and 
spake to them, saying, All authority was given 
to me in heaven and upon earth. Go therefore, 
and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all 
things whatever I commanded you : and behold, 
I am with you alway, unto the end of the worldJ^ 
(Matt. 28 : 18-20. Compare Mark 16 : 15.) 

Section II. — Disciples executing, and 

SUBMITTING TO THE LORD's COMMAND. 

(a) At Pentecost. 

" Men of Israel, hear these words ! Jesus 
2* 17 



18 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

the Nazarene, a man accredited to you from 
God by miracles, and wonders, and signs, 
which God did through him in the midst of 
you, even as ye yourselves know ; this man, 
delivered up by the established counsel, and 
fore-knowledge of God, ye through the hand of 
men without law did crucify and slay ; whom 
God raised up, having loosed the pains of death : 
because it was not possible that he should be 
held by it . . . This Jesus God raised up, of 
which we all are witnesses. Being therefore 
exalted by the right hand of God, and having 
received from the Father the promise of the 
Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this, which 
ye both see and hear. For David did not 
ascend into the heavens; but he says him- 
self, 

"The Lord said to my Lord, 

Sit on my right hand. 

Until I make thy foes the footstool of thy 
feet. 
"Therefore let all the house of Israel 
know assuredly, that God made him both 
Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye cru- 
cified. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 19 

" And hearing this, they were pierced in the 
heart, and said to Peter, and the rest of the 
apostles. Brethren, what shall we do ? And 
Peter said to them, Eepent, and be baptized 
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, 
unto remission of your sins, and ye shall re- 
ceive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you 
is the promise, and to your children, and to 
all those afar off, as many as the Lord our 
God calls to him. 

"And with many other words he testified 
and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves 
from this crooked generation. 

" They then that welcomed his word, were 
baptized : and there were added on that day 
about three thousand souls. And they were 
constantly attending on the teaching of the 
apostles, and the distribution [or fellowship], 
the breaking of the bread, and the prayers." 
(Acts 2: 22-24; 32-43.) 

(b) Philip and the Samaritans, 

"And Philip went down to the city of Sama- 
ria, and preached to them the Christ. And 



20 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

the crowds with one accord gave heed to the 
things spoken by Philip, when tliey heard, and 
saw the signs which he was doing. For from 
many of those who had unclean spirits they 
came out, crying with a loud voice ; and many 
that were paralyzed, and that were lame, were 
healed. And there was much joy in that 
city. 

" But a certain man, named Simon, was in 
the city before, using sorcery, and astonishing 
the nation of Samaria, saying that he was some 
great one; to whom all from small to great 
gave heed, saying. This man is the power of 
God which is called Great. And to him they 
gave heed, because for a long time he had 
astonished them by his sorceries. But when 
they believed Philip publishing the good news 
concerning the kingdom of God and the name 
of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men 
and women. And Simon also himself believed ; 
and having been baptized, he continued with 
Philip; and was astonished beholding the 
signs and great miracles which were taking 
place." (Acts 8 : 5-13.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 21 

(c) Philip and the Eunuch, 

" An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, say- 
ing, Arise, and go toward the south, on the 
way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza : 
this is desert. And he arose and went. And 
behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a state 
officer of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, 
who was over all her treasure, who had come 
to Jerusalem to worship, was returning : and 
sitting in his chariot was reading the prophet 
Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, Go 
near, and join thyself to this chariot. And 
Philip ran to him, and heard him reading 
Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest 
thou then, what thou art reading ? 

"And he said. How could I, except some 
one shall guide me ? And he entreated Philip 
to come up and sit with him. 

" And the place of the Scripture which he 
was reading was this, 

" He was led as a sheep to the slaughter ; 

And as a lamb dumb before his shearer, 

So he opens not his mouth : 

In his humiliation his judgment was taken 
away; 



22 THE lord's one baptism. 

His generation, who shall fully de- 
clare ? 

For his life is taken away from the 
earth. 
" And the eunuch answering said to Philip, 
I pray thee, concerning whom doth the prophet 
speak this ? Of himself, or some other ? And 
Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from 
this Scripture, announced to him the good news 
of Jesus. And as they went along the way, 
they came to a certain water. And the eunuch 
says, See, here is water ; what hinders my be- 
ing baptized ? And he commanded the chariot 
to stand still. And they went down both into 
the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and 
he baptized him. And when they came up out 
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught 
away Philip ; and the eunuch saw him no 
more, for he went on his way rejoicing." 
(Acts 8 : 26-39.) 

(c?) Ananias and Saul at Damascus. 

"And he [Ananias] said, The God of our 
fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, 
and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 23 

voice out of his mouth. For thou shalt be a 
witness for him to all men of what thou hast 
seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou ? 
Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy 
sins, calling on his name." (Acts 22 : 14-16.) 
"And he [Saul] received sight and arose 
and was baptized, and having taken food, he 
was strengthened." (Acts 9 : 18, 19.) 

(e) Peter, and those in the House of Cor* 
nelius. 

" And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of 
a truth I perceive that God is not a respecter 
of persons ; but in every nation he that fears 
him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to 
him. The word which he sent to the sons of 
Israel, publishing glad tidings of peace 
through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ye 
yourselves know ; the saying which was 
spoken throughout all Judaea, beginning from 
Galilee, after the baptism which John 
preached ; even Jesus of Nazareth, how God 
anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with 
power ; who went about doing good, and heal- 
ing all that were oppressed by the Devil : 



24 THE lord's one baptism. 

because God was with him. And we are wit- 
nesses of all things which he did both in the 
country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem ; whom 
also they slew, hanging him on a tree. Him 
God raised on the third day, and gave him to 
become manifest ; not to all the people, but to 
witnesses before appointed by God, to us, who 
ate and drank with him after he rose from 
the dead. And he charged us to preach to 
the people, and to testify that it is he who has 
been appointed by God Judge of living and 
dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, 
that through his name every one who believes 
on him shall receive remission of sins. 

" While Peter was yet speaking these words, 
the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the 
word. And those of the circumcision who 
believed, as many as came with Peter, were 
astonished that on the Gentiles also was 
poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For 
they heard them speaking with tongues, and 
magnifying God. Then answered Peter, Can 
any one forbid the water, that these should 
not be baptized, who have received the Holy 
Spirit as well as we ? And he directed them 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 25 

to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 
Then they asked him to remain certain days.'' 
(Acts 10 : 34-48.) 

(/) Paul, Silas, and Luke at Philippi. 

" Setting sail from Troas, we ran with a 
straight course to Samothrace, and on the fol- 
lowing day to Neapolis, and thence to 
Philippi, which is a chief city of the district of 
Macedonia, a colony. And we were tarrying 
in this city certain days. 

" And on the sabbath day we went forth 
out of the gate by a river side, where we sup- 
posed there was a place of prayer. And we 
sat down, and spake to the women who came 
together. And a certain woman named 
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thya- 
tira, who worshiped God, was listening ; 
whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the 
things spoken by Paul. And when she was 
baptized, and her household, she besought us, 
saying, If ye have judged me to be a be- 
liever in the Lord, come into my house 
and abide. And she constrained us." (Acts 
16 : 11-15.) 
3 



26 THE lord's one baptism. 

(g) Paul, Silas, the Philippian Jailer, and 
his House, 

" And it came to pass, as we were going to 
the place of prayer, a certain maidservant 
having a spirit of divination met us, who 
brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. 
She, following Paul and us, cried, saying, 
These men are servants. of the most high God, 
who proclaim to you a way of salvation! 
And this she did many days. But Paul, 
troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I 
charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to 
come out from her. And it came out that 
very hour. 

" But her masters, seeing that the hope of 
their gain was gone, laid hold of Paul and 
Silas, and dragged them into the market-place 
before the rulers. And having brought them 
to the magistrates, they said. These men, being 
Jews, are greatly disturbing our city; and 
proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for 
us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. 

"And the crowd rose up together against 
them ; and the magistrates tore off their 
clothes, and commanded to beat them with 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 27 

rods. And having laid many stripes on them, 
they cast them into prison, charging the jailer 
to keep them safely; who, having received 
such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, 
and made their feet fast in the stocks. 

"And at midnight Paul and Silas were 
praying and singing praises to God ; and the 
prisoners were listening to them. And sud- 
denly there was a great earthquake, so that 
the foundations of the prison were shaken; 
and immediately all the doors were open, and 
the chains of all were loosed. And the jailer, 
awaking out of sleep, and seeing the prison 
doors open, drew his sword, and was about to 
kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had 
escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud 
voice, savinor, Do thvself no harm : for we are 
all here ! And calling for lights, he sprang 
in, and trembling, fell down before Paul and 
Silas ; and having brought them out, he said, 
Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And they 
said. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou 
shalt be saved, and thy house. And they 
spoke to him the word of the Lord, with all 
that were in his house. 



28 THE liORD's ONE BAPTISM. 

"And he took them with him at that hour 
of the night, and washed their stripes ; and 
was baptized, himself and all his, immediately. 
And bringing them up into his house, he set 
food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all 
his house, having believed in God." (Acts 
16 : 16-34.) 

(h) Paul, Silas, Timothy, and the Corinthi- 
ans, 

" When Silas and Timothy came down from 
Macedonia, Paul was engrossed with the word, 
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the 
Christ. But w4ien they opposed themselves 
and blasphemed, he shook out his garments 
and said to them, Your blood be upon your 
own head ; I am clean ; henceforth I shall go 
to the Gentiles. And departing thence he 
entered into the house of a certain man named 
Titius Justus, one who worshiped God, whose 
house was adjoining the synagogue. And 
Crispus the ruler of the synagogue, believed 
on the Lord with all his house ; and many of 
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were 
baptized." (Acts 18 : 5-8.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 29 

(t) Paul and about Twelve Disciples at 
Ephesus. 

" And it came to pass, that, while ApoUos 
was at Corinth, Paul having passed through 
the upper districts came to Ephesus, and found 
certain disciples; and he said to them, Did 
ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed ? 
And they said to him, Nay, we did not even 
hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. And he 
said to them. Into what then were ye baptized? 
And they said, Into John's baptism. And 
Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of 
repentance, saying to the people, that they 
should believe on him who comes after him, 
that is, on Jesus. And when they heard it, 
they were baptized into the name of the Lord 
Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon 
them, the Holy Spirit came on them : and they 
spake with tongues and prophesied. And the 
men were in all about twelve." (Acts 19 : 1-7.) 

(j) Paul to the Corinthian Church, 

"I beseech you, brethren, through the 

name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all 

speak the same thing, and that there be no 
3* 



30 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

divisions among you; but that ye be made 
complete in the same mind, and in the same 
judgment. For it has been made manifest 
to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of 
the house of Chloe, that there are contentions 
among you. And I mean this, that each of you 
saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of 
Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided ? 
Was Paul crucified for you ? Or, were ye 
baptized into the name of Paul? I give 
thanks that I baptized no one of you, but 
Crispus and Gains ; lest any one should say 
that ye were baptized into my name. And I 
baptized also the household of Stephanas; 
besides I know not whether I baptized any 
other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, 
but to preach the gospel : ^ not in wisdom of 
speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made 
of no efiect.'' (1 Cor. 1 : 10-17.) 

(k) Paul's Question about those . Baptized 
for the Dead, 

'*He must reign till he has put all the 

1 Compaje, *' Jesus baptized not, but his disciples.'' 
(John 4: 2.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 31 

enemies under his feet. As the last enemy. 
Death, is done away with. For he subjected 
all things under his feet. But even when he 
says, All things are subjected, it is manifest 
that he is excepted who subjected all things 
to him. And whenever all things have been 
subjected to him, then will the Son also him- 
self be subjected to him who subjected all 
things to him, that God may be all in all. 

" Else what will they do who are baptized 
for the dead ? If no dead are raised at all, 
why then are they baptized for themf Why 
are we also in peril every hour ? " (1 Cor. 
15 : 25-30.) 

Section III. — Elements of the lord's 

COMMAND. 

(a) Its Subjects. 

1. The Lord to his Servants. 

*^ Disciple all the nations, baptizing them." 
(Matt. 28 : 19.) 

" He that believeth and is baptized shall be 
saved." (Mark 16 : 16.) 



32 THE lord's one baptism. 

2. Peter and Disciples at Pentecost. 

" Repent and be baptized every one of you 
in the name of Jesus Christ, unto remission 
of your sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of 
the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, 
and to your children, and to all those afar off, 
as many as the Lord our God shall call to 
him. . . They then that welcomed his word 
were baptized : and there were added on that 
day about three thousand souls.'' (Acts 2 : 
38, 39, 41.) 

3. Samaritan Disciples. 

" When they believed Philip publishing the 
good news concerning the kingdom of God, and 
the name of Jesus Christy they were baptized, 
both men and women. And Simon also him- 
self believed; and having been baptized, he 
continued with Philip, and was astonished, 
beholding the signs and great miracles which 
were taking place. 

"Now the apostles in Jerusalem hearing 
that Samaria had received the word of God, 
sent to them Peter and John: who having 
come down, prayed for them that they might 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 33 

receive the Holy Spirit: jor he had not yet 
fallen upon any one of them; but they had 
only been baptized into the name of the Lord 
Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them, 
and they received the Holy Spirit." (Acts 
8 : 12-17.) 

4. The Ethiopian Eunuch. 

" And the eunuch says : See, here is water ; 
what hinders my being baptized f . , . And he 
baptized him." (Acts 8 : 36, 38.) 

5. Saul of Tarsus at Damascus. 

" And there was a certain disciple in Da- 
mascus named Ananias ; and the Lord said 
to him in a vision, Ananias! And he said. 
Behold, I am here. Lord. And the Lord said 
to him. Arise and go to the street which is 
called Straight, and inquire in the house of 
Judas for one named Saul of Tarsus. For 
behold, he prays; and in a vision he saw a 
man named Ananias coming in, and putting 
his hand on him, that he might receive sight. 
And Ananias answered. Lord, I have heard 
from many concerning this man, how great 



34 THE lord's one baptism. 

evils he did to thy saints in Jerusalem. And 
here he has authority from the chief priests 
to bind all that call on thy name. But the 
Lord said to him, Go : for this man is to me 
a chosen vessel to bear my name before Gen- 
tiles, and kings, and the sons of Israel : for I 
shall shew him how great things he must suffer 
for my name's sake. And Ananias went away 
and entered into the house ; and putting his 
hands on him, said. Brother Saul, the Lord 
has sent me, even Jesus who appeared to thee 
in the way thou camest, th^t thou mayest 
receive sight, and be filled with the Holy 
Spirit. And straightway there fell off from 
his eyes, as it were scales: and he received 
his sight, and arose, and was baptized ; and 
having taken food he was strengthened/' 
(Acts 9 : 10-19.) 

6. Saul's Own Account of the Matter. 

" And one Ananias, a devout man according 
to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who 
dwelt there, came to me, and standing by me 
said to me, Brother Saul, receive sight. And 
in that very hour I looked up upon him. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 35 

And he said, The God of our fathers has 
appointed thee to know his mill, and to see the 
Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of his 
mouth. For thou shalt be a witness for him 
to all men, of what thou hast seen and heard. 
And now why tarriest thouf Arise, and he 
baptized, and wash away thy sins calling on his 
nameJ' (Acts 22 : 12-16. Compare 1 Cor. 
6 : 11 and 1 Peter 3 : 21, 22,) 

7. Cornelius, his Kinsmen and Friends. 

"... The Holy Spirit fell on all who heard 
the word} And those of the circumcision who 
believed, as many as came with Peter, were 
astonished that on the Gentiles also was poured 
out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they, 
heard them speaking with tongues, and magni- 
fying God. Then answered Peter, Can any 
one forbid the water, that these should not be 
baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as 
well as we f And he directed them to be bap- 
tized in the name of Jesus Christ." (Acts 
10:44-48.) 

1 See Acts 11 : 15-18. Compare 8 : 16, 17 and 19 : 
1-7. 



36 THE lord's one baptism, 

8. Lydia and her Household. 

" And a certain woman named Lydia, a 
seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who 
worshiped God was listening ; whose heart the 
Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by 
Paul, And when she was baptized, and her 
household, she besought us, saying, If ye have 
judged me to be a believer in the Lord^ come 
into my house and abide. And she constrained 
usr (Acts 16 : 14, 15.) 

9. The Philippian Jailer and his House. 

" And calling for lights, he sprang in, and 
trembling fell down before Paul and Silas ; 
and having brought them out, he said, Sirs, 
what must I do to be saved f And they said, Be- 
lieve on the Lord Jesus, and thou shatt be saved, 
and thy house. And they spoke to him the 
word of the Lord, with all that were in his 
house. And he took them with him at that hour 
of the night, and washed their stripes ; and tvas 
baptized, himself and all his, immediately. And 
bringing them up into his house, he set food before 
them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, 
having believed in Ood,'' (Acts 16 : 29-34.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 37 

10. Many Corinthians. 

" And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, 
believed on the Lord with all his house ; ^ and 
many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and 
were baptized^' (Acts 18 : 8.) 

Compare " Having heard the word of truth, 
the good news of your salvation, in whom 
[^Christ] having also believed, ye were sealed 
with the Holy Spirit of promise." (Eph. 1 : 
13.) 

Also, "And he [Paul] reasoned in the syn- 
agogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews 
and Greeks." . . . **' And the Lord said to 
Paul through a vision in the night: Fear 
not, but speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I 
am with thee, and no one shall assail thee to 
harm thee ; for I have much people in this 
city. And he dwelt there a year and six 
months, teaching the word of God among 
them." (Acts 18 : 4, 9-11.) 

11. About Twelve "Disciples" in Ephesus. 
" And it came to pass, that while ApoUos 

1 1 baptized . . . Crispus, etc. (1 Cor 1 : 14.) 
4 



38 THE lord's one baptism. 

was in Corinth, Paul having passed through 
the upper districts came to Ephesus, and found 
certain disciples ; and he said to them, Did ye 
receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed f And 
they said to him. Nay, we did not even hear 
whether there is a Holy Spirit, And he said 
to them. Into what then were ye baptized? 
And they said, Into John's baptism. And 
Paul said, John baptized with a baptism of 
repentance; saying to the people that they 
should believe on him who comes after him, thai 
is, on Jesus. And when they heard it, they were 
baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus, And 
when Paul had laid hands upon them, the 
Holy Spirit came on them ; and they spoke with 
tongues and prophesied. And the men were in 
all about twelve." (Acts 19 : 1-7.) 

12. Paul's Reference to his Baptizing Cris- 
pus. Gains, and the Household of Stephanas. 

" I baptized no one of you, but Crispus and 
Gains . . . And I baptized also the house- 
hold of Stephanas;^ besides, I know not 

1 See 1 Cor. 16 : 15, and Acts 18 : 4, 9-11. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 39 

whether I baptized any other." (1 Cor. 1 : 
14-16.) 

Compare "Jesus was making and bap- 
tizing more disciples than John (though 
Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples)." 
(John 4 : 1, 2.) 

Also, "Then went out unto him [John] 
Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region 
round about the Jordan : and they were bap- 
tized of him in the [river] Jordan, confessing 
Ueir sins:' (Matt. 3 : 5, 6 ; Mark 1 : 4.) 

Note. — ^Why John Declines to Baptize. 

" But seeing many of the Pharisees coming 
to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of 
vipers ! who warned you to flee from the com- 
ing wrath ? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy 
of repentance : and think not to say within your- 
selves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say 
to you, that God is able out of these stones to 
raise up children to Abraham. And already 
the axe lies at the root of the trees ; every tree 
therefore that brings not forth good fruit is 
cut down, and cast into the fire. I indeed 
baptize you in water unto repentance ; but he 



40 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

that comes after me is mightier than I, 
whose sandals I am not worthy to bear ; he 
will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire ; 
whose fan is in his hand, and he will thor- 
oughly cleanse his threshing floor, and he will 
gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff 
he will burn up with 'fire unquenchable." 
(Matt. 3 : 7-12.) 

Also, " The word of God came to John the 
son of Zachariah in the wilderness. And he 
came into all the country round about the Jor-^ 
dan, preaching the baj^tism of repentance unto 
remission of sins ; as it is written in the book 
of the words of Isaiah the prophet, 

" The voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness, 

Prepare the way of the Lord ! 

Make straight his paths ! 

Every valley shall be filled. 

And every mountain and hill shall be 
brought low; 

And the crooked shall become straight, 

And the rough ways smooth ; 

And all flesh shall see the salvation of 
God. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 41 

He said therefore to the multitudes that went 
out to be baptized by him, Offspring of vipers / 
xuho warned you to flee from the coming wrath f 
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repent- 
ance ; and begin not to say within yourselves, 
We have Abraham for our father : for I say to 
you that God is able out of these stones to 
raise up children to Abraham. And already 
the axe also lies at the root of the trees. 
Every tree therefore that brings not forth 
good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 
And the multitudes asked him, saying. What 
then are we to do ? And he answering said 
to them. He that has two coats, let him impart 
to him that has none; and he that has food, let 
him do likewise. And there came publicans 
also to be baptized; and they said to him, 
Teacher, what are we to do? And he said to 
them, Exact no more than that which is ap- 
pointed you. And soldiers also asked him, 
' What are we also to do ? ' And he said to 
them, Do violence to no one ; neither accuse any 
one falsely ; and be content with your wages J* 
(Luke 3 : 2-14.) 

Compare " Then comes Jesus from Galilee 
4* 



^ 



42 THE lord's one baptism. 

to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. 
But John sought to prevent him, saying, * 1 
have need to be baptized by thee; and dost thou 
come to mef^ And Jesus answering said to 
him, Suffer it now : for thus it becomes us to 
fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffers him. 
And having been baptized, Jesus went up 
straightway from the water, and lo, the 
heavens were opened to him, and he saw the 
Spirit of God descending as a dove, and com- 
ing upon him. And lo, a voice out of the 
heavens, saying, ' This is my beloved Son in 
whom I am well pleased ! ' '' (Matt. 3 : 13- 
17. See Mark 1 : 9-11 ; Luke 3 : 21, 22.) 

(b) Its Formula. 

1. The Command. 

..." Baptizing them into the name of the 
Father and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Spirit:' (Matt. 28 : 19.) 

2. Injunction of Peter at Pentecost. 

..." Be baptized every one of you In the 
name of Jesus Christ:' (Acts 2 : 38.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 43 

3. Samaritan Disciples, 

"They had onlv been baptized into the 
name of the Lord Jesus J^ (Acts 8 : 16.) 

4. Injunction of Peter in the house of Cor- 
nelius. 

" And he directed them to be baptized in 
the name of Jesus Christ,^' (Acts 10 ; 48.) 

5. Paul and Disciples at Ephesus. 

" And it came to pass that, while Apollos 
was at Corinth, Paul having passed through 
the upper districts came to Ephesus, and found 
certain disciples, and he said to them, ' Did 
ye receive the Soly Spirit when ye believed f ' 
And they said to him. Nay, we did not even 
hear whether there is a Holy Spirit. And 
he said to them, Into what then were ve 
baptized? And they said. Into John's 
baptism. And Paul said, John baptized 
with a baptism of repentance ; saying to the 
people that they should believe on him who 
comes after him, that is, on Jesus. And 
when they heard it, they were baptized into 
the name of the Lord Jesus, And when Paul 



44 THE lord's one baptism. 

had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit 
came on them ; and they spake with tongues, 
and prophesied." (Acts 19 : 1-7.) 

6. Paul to the Church in Ephesus. 

*' There is one body, and one Spirit, as also 
ye were called in one hope of your calling ; 
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and 
Father of all, who is over all, and through all, 
and in all." (Eph. 4 : 4-6.) 

Compare "Ye were sealed with the Holy 
Spirit of promise." (Eph. 1 : 13.) " Grieve 
not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye 
were sealed for a day of redemption." (Eph. 
4 : 30.) 

7. Paul to the Church in Corinth. 

. . . "But ye were washed, but ye were 
sanctified, but ye were justified, in the name 
of Uie Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of 
our Godr (1 Cor. 6 : 11.) 

8. " In one Spirit we were all baptized into 
one body." (12:13.) 

Compare "Was Paul crucified for you? 
Or were ye baptized into the name of Paul f 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 45 

I give thanks that I baptized no one of you, 
but Crispus and Gains, lest any one should say 
that ye were baptized into my naine/' eic, (i 
Cor. 1 : 13-15.) 

"Our fathers . . . were all baptized into 
Moses in the cloud and in the sea.' (1 Cor. 
10 : 2.) 

"Jesus himself baptized not, but his dis- 
ciples." (John 4 : 2.) 

(c) Its Eite.^ 

1. Philip and the Eunuch. 

"And as they went along the way, they 
came to a certain water. And the eunuch 
says, ^ See, here is water; what hinders my 
being baptized ? ' And he commanded the 
chariot to stand still: and they went down 
both into the water, both Philip and the 
eunuch, and he baptized him. And when 
they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the 
Lord caught away Philip," eic. (Acts 8 : 
36-39.) 

^Compare "Symbolic and Spiritual Import," etc., 
p. 46. 



46 THE lord's one baptism. 

2. Compare "They were baptized by him 
[John] in the river Jordan,'^ (Matt 3:6; 
Mark 1 : 5.) 

3. and " Jesus came from Nazareth of Gali- 
lee, and was baptized by John in the JordanJ* 
(Mark 1:9; Matt. 3 : 13-15.) 

4. Also, " John also was baptizing in JEnon 
near Salim, because there was much water 
there." (John 3 : 23.) 

Section IV. — Uniformity of christian 

BAPTISM. 

Paul to the church in Ephesus. (A reflec- 
tion) : One baptism, (Eph. 4:5.) 

Section V. — Symbolic and spiritual im- 
port OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 

1. An Image of Overwhelming Sufiering. 

(a) The Lord to the sons of Zebedee, 

" Are ye able ... to be baptized with the 
baptism that I am baptized ? " (Mark 10 : 38.) 

(6) The Lord to the Disciples. 

" I have a baptism to be baptized with, and 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 47 

how am I straitened until it be accomplished." 
(Luke 12 : 50 ; comp. Ps. 69 : 2 ; 88 : 7, 16, 17.) 

2. Of the Fullness of the Holy Spirit and 
of Fire. 

(a) The Promise of the Lord, 

" John indeed baptized with water, but ye 
shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit J^ (Acts 
1:5.) 

(b) Language of John the Baptist 

" I indeed baptize you in water ; ... he 
will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.y 
(Matt. 3 : 11 ; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; see 
John 1 : 25-34.) 

(c) Peter'' s Answer to Hebrew Inquisitors, 

" I remembered the word of the Lord, how 
he said, John baptized with [or, in] water; 
but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit J ^ 
(Acts 11 : 16.) 

3. Of Cleansing from Sin.^ 

1 See Lev. 15 ; 17 : 15, 16 ; 2 Chron. 4:2-6; Ps. 51 : 
2, 7; Isa. 1: 16; 4:4; Jer. 4: 14. 



48 THE lord's one baptism. 

(a) Ananias to Saul of Tarsus, 

"And now, why tarriest thou ? Arise, and 
be baptized, and wash away thy sins calling on 
his nameJ^ (Acts 22 : 16.) 

(h) Paul to the Christians in Corinth, 

" . . . Be not deceived ; neither fornicators, 
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, 
nor abusers of themselves with men, nor 
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor re- 
vilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the king- 
dom of God. And such were some of vou ; 
but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but 
ye were justified in the name of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." 
(1 Cor. 6 : 9-11.) 

Compare "And having had our body washed 
with pure water J^^ (Heb. 10 : 22.) Also, 
^^ Happy are they who wash their rohes^ (Rev. 
22 : 14.) 

(c) Paul to Titus, 

"We also were once foolish, disobedient, 

1 See Mark 7:4; Luke 11 : 38 ; Heb. 9 : 10. 



{ 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 49 

going astray, serving manifold desires and 
pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, 
hating one another. But when the kindness, 
and the love toward man of our Saviour God 
appeared ; not by works of righteousness 
which we did, but according to his mercy he 
saved us, through the bathing of regeneration, 
and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he 
poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ 
our Saviour: that being justified by his grace, 
we should become heirs according to the hope 
of eternal life." (Titus 3 : 3-7.) 

(d) Paul to the Church in Ephesus. 

** Also Christ loved the church, and delivered 
himself up for it: that he might sanctify it, 
having cleansed it by the bathing of water in the 
word, that he might himself present to himself 
the church, glorious, not having spot, or wrinkle, 
or any such thing ; but that it may be holy 
and without blemish.'' (Eph. 5 : 25-27.) 

4. Of Burial, Resurrection, a New Life. 

. (a) Paul to the Church in Colosse. 

^^ Buried with him [Christ] in your baptism, 
5 



50 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

wherein ye were also raised with him through 
faith in the working of God who raised him 
from the dead." (Col. 2 : 12.) 

(6) Paul to the Church in Rome, 

"How shall we who died to sin live any 
longer therein ? Or, are ye ignorant, that all 
we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were 
baptized into his death f We were buried 
therefore with him through the baptism into 
his death: that just as Christ was raised from 
the dead through the glory of the Father^ so we 
also might walk in newness of life,'^ (Rom. 
6 : 2-4.) 

Compare '"John baptized with a baptism 
of repentance," etc. (Acts 19 : 4 ; see Mark 
1:4; Luke 3 : 3 and Matt. 3 : 11.) 

5. A Seal of the Divine Proprietorship, 
(a) Paul to the Church in Ephesus, 

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in 
whom ye were sealed for a day of redemption:^ 
(Eph. 4 : 30.) 

Compare " Ye were sanctified [set apart] ... in 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 51 

the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the 
Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6 : 11.) 

6. A Seal of Heirship, and an Earnest of 
Inheritance. 

(a) Paul to the Church in Ephesus. 

" In whom ye also, after having heard the 
word of truth, the good news of your salva- 
tion, in whom [Christ] having also believed, 
ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise ; 
who is an earnest of our inheritance until the 
redemption of the purchased possession, to the 
praise of his glory." (Eph. 1 : 13, 14.) 

(6) Paul to the Church in Corinth, 

" He who establishes us with you in Christ, 
and anointed us, is God ; he who also sealed 
us, and gave the earliest of the Spirit in our 
hearts.-' (2 Cor. 1 : 21.) 

7. Community with the Christ: and thus 
With Ml Who Are His. (See Acts 2 : 44-47 
and 4 : 32-85.) 

(a) Paul to the Church in Colosse, 

" In him dwells all the fullness of the God- 



52 THE lord's one baptism. 

head bodily. And ye are made full in him 
who is the head of every principality and 
authority; in whom ye were also circumcised 
with a circumcision not made with hands, in the 
putting off of the body of the flesh in the cir- 
cumcision of Christ; having been buried with 
him in your baptism, wherein ye were also raised 
with him through faith in the working of God, 
who raised him from the dead." (Col. 2 : 
9-12.) 

"And have put on the new man, who is 
being renewed unto knowledge, according to 
the image of him who created him ; where can 
be no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncir- 
cumdsion. Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, free- 
man ; but Christ is all and in all,'' (Col. 3 : 
10-12.) 

(6) Paul to the Church in Home. 

" How shall we, who died to sin, live any 
longer therein ? Or, are we ignorant, that all 
we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were 
baptized into his death f We were buried 
therefore with him through the baptism into 
his death: that just as Christ was raised from 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 53 

the dead through the glory of the Father, so 
we also might walk in newness of life. For 
if we have become united with the likeness of 
his death, we shall be also with that of his resur- 
rection : knowing this, that our old man was 
crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
be destroyed, in order that we might no longer 
be in bondage to sin. For he that died has 
been justified from sin. And if we died with 
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with 
him ; knowing that Christ, being raised from 
the dead, dies no more ; for death has dominion 
over him no more. For the death that he 
died, he died to sin once for all ; but the life 
that he lives, he lives to God. Thus reckon 
ye also yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to 
God in Christ JesusJ' (Kom. 6 : 2-11.) 

(c) Paul to the Church in Galatia. 

" Ye are all sons of God through faith in 
Christ Jesus. For all ye who were baptized 
into Christ, did put on Christ} There is neither 
Jeiv nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, 

^ Compare "Were ye baptized into the name of 
Paul?'' (ICor. 1:13.) 
6* 



54 THE lord's one baptism. 

there is no male and female : for ye are all one 
in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then 
are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to the 
promise." (Gal. 3 : 26-29.) 

{d) Paul to the Church in Corinth, 

" In one Spirit we were all baptized into one 
body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or 
free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit,'' 
(1 Cor. 12 : 13.) 

8 Baptism Connected with Remission, and 
Washing Away of Sins ; with Justification ; 
with the Gift of the Holy Spirit ; with the 
Saving of the Soul ; with Entrance into the 
Kingdom of God. 

(a) Peter at Pentecost. 

" Repent and be baptized every one of you, 
in the name of Jesus Christ, unto remission of 
your sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of the 
Holy Spirit:' (Acts 2 : 38.) 

Compare "John . . . baptized, and preached 
the baptism of repentance unto remission of 
sins." (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Matt. 3 : 1- 
10.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 55 

(b) Ananias to Saul of Tarsus. 

*^' And now, why tarriest thou? Arise and 
be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on 
his [Christ's] name." (Acts 22 : 16.) 

(c) Paul to the Church in Corinth, 

" Ye were washed ^ ... ye were justified in 
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the 
Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6 : 11.) 

(d) Paul to the Church of Ephesus, 

" Also ChrisL loved the church, and delivered 
himself up for it, that he might sanctify it, 
having cleansed it by the bathing of water in the 
word : that he might himself present to himself 
the church glorious, not having a spot, or wrinkle, 
or any such thing ; but that it may be holy and 
without blemishr (Eph. 5 : 25-27.) 

(e) Paul to Titus. 

"According to his mercy he saved us, through 
the bathing of regeneration, and renewing of 
the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3 : 5.) 

^'A7reAow<raff«€ being a Greek middle voice, the author 
would translate it, "Ye washed yourselves." Com- 
pare {h) above. See Isa. 1 : 16; Jer. 4 : 14. 



56 THE lord's one baptism. 

(/) Peter in his Letter to the Disper- 
sion. 

" Christ also suffered for sins once, the 
righteous for the unrighteous, that he might 
bring us to God, being put to death in flesh, 
but made alive in spirit; in which also he 
went and preached to the spirits in prison, 
who were disobedient in the old time, when 
the long-suffering of God waited in the days 
of Noah, while an ark was preparing, in which 
a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through 
water ; which in an antitype, baptism, now saves 
you also (not the putting away of the filth of the 
flesh but the requirement of a good conscience 
toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ:' (1 Peter 3 : 18-21.) 

Compare the words of the Lord : 

*'And all the people, hearing it, and the 
publicans, justified God, having been baptized 
with John's baptism; but the Pharisees and 
the lawyers rejected the counsel of God in 
regard to themselves, not having been baptized 
by him." (Luke 7 : 29-30.) " Verily I say 
to you, that the publicans and the harlots go 
into the kingdom of God before you. For 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 57 

John came to you in the way of righteousness, 
and ye did not believe him ; but the publicans 
and the harlots believed him ; and ye, when 
ye saw it, did not even repent afterward, that 
ye might believe him." (Matt. 21 : 31, 32.) 
" The baptism of John, whence was it ? from 
heaven or from men? '' (Matt. 21 : 25.) 

Compare also the words of John the Bap- 
tist: 

"Offspring of vipers, who warned you to 
flee from the wrath to come ? " (Matt. 3 : 7- 
12 ; see 1 Cor. 10 : 1-12.) 

(g) The Lord to hu Servants, 

"He that believes and is baptized shall be 
saved; but he that disbelieves shall be con- 
demned." (Mark 16 : 16.) 

(A) The Lord to Nicodemus. 

" Verily, verily, I say to thee, unless a man 
be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 
into the kingdom of GodJ^ (John 3 : 5.) 

Compare "Suffer the little children, and 
forbid them not to come to me ; for to such 
belongs the kingdom of heaven. And he put 



58 THE lord's one baptism. 

his hands on them/' (Matt. 19 : 14, 15.) 
**' And he folded them in his arms, and blessed 
them, putting his hands on them." (Mark 
10 : 14, 16.) 

Section VI. — Eespecting church, pe- 

TRINE, AND INDIVIDUAL AUTHORITY AND 
LIBERTY IN THE TEACHING AND COM- 
MANDS OF THE LORD. 

(a) The Lord Bespeding Church Authority, 

" Verily I say to you. Whatever ye bind on 
earth shall be bound in heaven ; and whatever 
ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'^ ^ 
(Matt. 18 : 18.) 

(6) The Lord to Peter. 

" I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom 
of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on 
earth shall be bound in heaven ; and whatever 
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in 
heaven." (Matt. 16 : 19.) 

Compare "As the Father has sent me, I 

1 For exemplification, see Church in Council. 
(Acts 15 : 6-29.) Compare 1 Cor. 5 : 1-5; and 2 
Cor. 2 : 5-11. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 59 

also send you. And when he had said this, 
he breathed on them, and says to them, Re- 
ceive the Holy Spirit. "Whosesoever sins ye 
remit, they are remitted to them ; whosesoever 
ye retain, they are retained." (John 20 : 
21-23.) 

(c) Words of the Apostle John. 

"Every one who leads forward, and abides 
not in the teaching of Christ, has not God, He 
that abides in the teaching, he has both the 
Father and the SonJ' (2 John 9 ; see 2 John 
10,11; 1 Tim. 1:3; John 10: 27; 14:15, 
21; 15:10, 14; 1 John 2:4, 5; 5:3; 2 
John 6 ; Mark 7 : 7.) 

(d) The Lord to his Disciples. 

"All authority was given unto me in heaven 
and on earth. Go therefore, and disciple all 
the nations, baptizing them into the name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Spirit: teaching them to observe all things 
ivhatever I commanded you : and, behold, I am 
with you always [all the days] unto the end 
of the world." (Matt. 28 : 18-20.) 



60 THE LORD^S ONE BAPTISM. 

Section VII. — Divine judgments upon 

MEN WHO USED ANOTHER THAN A DIVINE 
APPOINTMENT IN JEHOVAH's SERVICE. 

(a) Case of Nadab and Abihu. 

"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of 
Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put 
fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and 
offered strange fire before Jehovah which he 
had not commanded them. And there came forth 
fire from before Jehovah^ and devoured them, 
and they died before Jehovah, Then Moses 
said to Aaron, This is it that Jehovah spake, 
saying, I will be sanctified in them that come 
nigh me, and before all the people will I be 
glorified." (Lev. 10 : 1-3.) 

Compare 1 Sam. 6 ; 19, 20, Judgment on 
the men of Beth-shemesh for looking into the 
ark ; 2 Sam. 6 : 7, Judgment upon Uzzah who 
touched it; Acts 5 : 1-11, Judgment on Ana- 
nias and Sapphira who dared to lie in divine 
matters. See also, " To me belongs vengeance *' ; 
" I will recompense " ; " The Lord will judge his 
people " ; " It is a fearful thing to fall into the 
hands of the living God.'' (Heb. 10 : 30, 31.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 61 

Conclusion. 

"Wherefore, receiving a kingdom which 
cannot be shaken, let us have grace whereby 
we may serve God acceptably, with reverence 
and fear ; for our God is a consuming fire." 
(Heb. 12 : 28, 29.) 



6 



PART II. 

Section I. — The command. 

The features in this section which strike 
our attention are : 

1. The Person of the Speaker. 

2. The August Statement or Claim which 
he Makes. 

3. The Command which he Gives. 

The Speaker is one who, having been cruci- 
fied as a malefactor, because he said " I am 
the Son of God," has been raised from the 
dead. 

The August Statement, "All authority was 
given to me in heaven and on earth," is ger- 
mane with all his mighty works, with all his 
lofty claims, as they appear in his story. 

The Command — the Commission — issues 

consistently from his person and position, and 

self-evidently contemplates the winning and 
62 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 63 

organizing of that which is his own by right — 
the kingdom of God, of heaven. 

Before the shameful crucifixion, fitted, 
chosen eyes had seen him in the habiliments 
divine — in person, in word, in deed, the 
flashing out of the glory of God, a glory as 
of the only begotten from the Father, full of 
grace and truth.^ The centre around which 
the thought, and love, and song of inspired 
lawgiver, and prophets, and poets had revolved, 
his is the realization of that vision seen by 
Daniel five hundred years before : " I saw in 
the night visions, and, behold, there came with 
the clouds of heaven, one like unto a son of 
man, and he came even to the ancient of days; 
and they brought him near before him. And 
there was given him dominion, and glory, and 
a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and 
languages should serve him : his dominion is 
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass 
away, and his kingdom that which shall not 
be destroyed." (Dan. 7 : 13, 14.) 

" All authority was given unto me in heaven 
and on earth." 

iHeb. 1;3; John 1 : 14. 



64 THE lord's one baptism. 

We are reminded of his words before the 
false judge, Caiaphas : " Henceforth ye shall 
see the Son of man sitting at the right hand 
of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.*' 
And of his words to his disciples when seated 
on Mount Olivet: "When the Son of man 
comes in his glory, and all the angels with 
him; then will he sit on the throne of his 
glory. And before him will be gathered all 
the nations." (Matt. 25 : 31, 32.) 

Before his claim, involving jurisdiction over 
the consciences of men, and extending to the 
farthest limits of heaven, the claims of all 
created princes pale. He is 

** King of them that reign as kings, 

And Lord of them that reign as lords." 

We may well concede the fitness of this 
Person to command. Heaven's Messiah is 
worthy the confidence and devotion of man. 

In view of the attitude of the world toward 
him, with a Caesar posing as its lord para- 
mount ; in view of the end which his command 
manifestly implies, — the building up of his 
kingdom from aliens, — his servants are com- 
missioned for a lofty and most dangerous 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 65 

emprise; not without the promise of his 
presence with them, " even unto the end of 
the world." 

Section II. — His disciples executing and 

SUBMITTING TO THE LORD's COMMAND. 

The examples comprising this section, to- 
gether with their contexts and other parts of 
the New Testament writings, reveal to us how 
faithfully, how bravely, how zealously, how 
successfully his servants executed the orders 
of their Lord, and how promptly multitudes 
of the race submitted to them. We see them 
in Jerusalem, where their Lord was crucified ; 
in Damascus, the ancient city of the world ; 
in Jew-hating Samaria ; in Philippi, the Ro- 
man colony ; in Corinth, the Wicked city of 
the Greeks ; in Ephesus, the " Temple-sweeper 
of Diana." The writings also reveal them in 
numerous other cities in Asia ; in the isles of 
the sea ; in artistic Athens ; and in imperial 
Eome. 

With a fidelity and zeal inimitable ; with a 
heroism sublime, above all opposition and per- 
secution ; with a fortitude equal to every vicis- 
6* 



66 THE lord's one baptism. 

situde and superior to all environment, they 
carried out their commission whithersoever 
the spirit of Jesus sent them. 

Their triumphs were with the mixed multi- 
tude on the day of Pentecost ; with the magic- 
deluded men and women of Samaria ; with 
Jews of the holy city ; with Jews of the Dis- 
persion ; with Asiatics ; with Europeans ; with 
Africans; with all races and conditions of 
men. 

Section III. — Elements of the lord's 

COMMAND. 

This section, like the preceding, contaius all 
the Bible narratives of Christian baptism, ex- 
cepting that of Simon Magus, which manifestly 
lacked the first element, a fit subject. 

Carefully examining the Lord's command 
respecting baptism, we find it comprising three 
elements : . 

(a) Its Subjects. 

What characteristics do they develop? 
They are represented as having welcomed, or 
heartily received, Peter's word (three thousand 



i 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 67 

at Pentecost ; as having the heart opened by 
the Lord to attend to the things spoken by Paul 
(Lydia) ; as believing Philip preaching the 
good news concerning the kingdom of God and 
the name of Jesus Christ, and as having received 
the word (Samaritan men and women) ; as hav- 
ing believed in God (Philippian jailer with all 
his house) ; as believing on the Lord (Crispus 
with all his house) ; as hearing and believing 
(many Corinthians) ; as being disciples, re- 
sponding when told by Paul, that John told the 
people that they should believe on him who was 
to come after him — that is, on Jesus (certain 
Ephesians) ; as speaking with tongues and 
magnifying God through the Holy Spirit who 
had fallen upon them (Cornelius and his co- 
hearers). The eunuch is exhibited to us as 
seeking the baptism in response to the annunci- 
ation of the good news of Jesus by Philip ; Saul 
of Tarsus, as a vessel of election, praying and 
responding to the counsel of Ananias to wash 
away his sins, calling on the name of the right- 
eous One — that is, the name of Jesus. 

The least that can be said of these subjects 
of Christian baptism is that they all appear 



68 THE lord's one baptism. 

as persons of intelligent convictions, commit- 
ting themselves in this baptism to him in whose 
name they are baptized, to the spiritual system 
which he had instituted, and which, through 
his servants, he was giving to the world. They 
are all confessors of the Messiah, the Christ ; 
thev all sustain an attitude of abandonment to 
the Lord and of harmony with him, the atti- 
tude of faith. 

Expressions in the epistles throw light also 
upon the spiritual state of these subjects. There 
they are said to have " believed in Christ: and 
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promiseJ^ 
There they are said to have " died with Christ " ; 
to have been ^'buried with Christ"; to have 
been *' raised, quickened with Chris f — all of 
which, as well as expressing the wonderful 
fact of partnership with the Christ, refer to 
the spiritual state of the truly baptized — a 
state of practical death, of oblivion to the 
things that are contrary to God, and of life to 
himself and to the things that are well pleas- 
ing to him.^ 

1 The warnings to the baptized against manifold 
sins do not affect this spiritual experience. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 69 

"We say not that all these subjects of Chris- 
tian baptism apprehended the things of the 
Lord with equal clearness, nor that all felt 
them with equal intensity. The examples in- 
dicate somewhat different stages of spiritual 
development. On Cornelius and his co-hearers 
(p. 35, 7) the Holy Spirit fell in miraculous 
power before their baptism, thus advising 
Peter that uncircumcised Gentiles, being fel- 
low-heirs in the Holy Spirit, should be taken 
into the visible commonwealth of Christians. 
Upon the Samaritans and Ephesians (p. 32, 
3 ; p. 37, 11) he came with this power after bap- 
tism and laying on of the apostolic hands, thus 
linking the gracious dispensation to them with 
the Hebrew apostles. The purpose and force 
of this is apparent from the race and religious 
developments in their respective peoples. (See 
Joim 4 : 9, 10.) 

As far as our examination has extended, 
then, we find that the subjects of Christian 
baptism have been under and have responded 
to the discipling influence exerted accord- 
ing to the Lord's order. Their baptism did 
not precede, but followed, a certain prepa- 



70 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

ration, alike in kind, though varying in 
degree. 

But our attention is further demanded by 
the baptism of three households — those of 
Lydia, of the Philippian jailer, and of Stepha- 
nas. 

The household of the Philippian jailer are 
represented as having the word of the Lord 
spoken to them, "to him, with all that were in 
his house,'' and as rejoicing with him from a 
common cause, " having believed in God." 

Of the household of Stephanas, whose bap- 
tism is incidentally mentioned in common with 
that of Crispus and Gains (p. 38), Paul 
writes : " Now I beseech you, brethren (ye 
know the house of Stephanas, that it is a first- 
fruit of Achaia ; and that they have set them- 
selves to minister to the saints), that ye also 
submit yourselves to such, and to every one 
that works with us, and labors." (1 Cor. 16 : 
15, 16.) 

The baptism of the household of Lydia is an 
incidental mention also, as the narrator is 
recording the modesty and hospitality of that 
pious lady. Any assumption or suggestion 



THE lord's one baptism. 71 

that its subjects were not of kindred spirit 
with the subjects of Christian baptism as seen 
in all the narratives, is too gratuitous to notice. 
(See Eph. 4 : 5.) 

It is noticeable that among all the multitudes 
baptized by the first servants of the Lord, only- 
four whole households and one whole audience 
(that in the house of Cornelius) are mentioned. 
It is refreshing to find even that number ; but 
it is painfully evident that the families gen- 
erally, as foretold by the Lord, divided upon 
himself and other lords. (See Matt. 10 : 
34-36.) 

The question of Paul in 1 Cor. 15 : 29 — 
" What will they do who are baptized for the 
dead ? If no dead are raised at all, why then 
are they baptized for them?" refers to sub- 
jects who were of kindred mind with all the 
subjects of Christian baptism. The passage 
reveals them as believers looking for the resur- 
rection ; and for the future " life and immor- 
tality brought to light by the Lord," who is 
the destroyer of death. 

Kespecting the age or maturity of the sub- 
jects of baptism, we assume nothing. Of the 



72 THE lord's one baptism. 

Samaritans, it is aiBrmed : " When they be- 
lieved ... they were baptized, both men and 
womenJ^ When we remember the latitude of 
those titles in Oriental lands, together with 
the fact that some households were baptized, 
we find no rule of years ; but simply a condi- 
tion of mind and heart — a state of discipleship 
to the Christ. 

It is conspicuous in all the narratives that 
baptism followed immediately upon conversion 
to the Lord Jesus, or was simultaneous with 
it. There is no reason to assume a single 
exception. 

(b) The Formula. 

This division contains all the Bible examples 
of the use of the formula. 

The student may be somewhat perplexed 
that the narratives exhibit the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ only ; while the command 
prescribes the administration of baptism '* in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Spirit." But Paul in Eph. 4 : 4-6 
clears up the difficulty, showing that in the 
baptism of the Ephesians (p. 43, 5) the 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 73 

name of the Spirit and of the Father had 
been associated with that of the Lord Jesus. 
" There is one body and oae Spirit . . . one 
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and 
Father of all, who is over all, and through all, 
and in all." 

The connection of the name of the Holy 
Spirit with their baptisms is revealed also by 
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians (p. 44, 
7. 8). " Ye were washed, but ye were sanc- 
tified ... in the name of the Lord Jesus and 
in the Spirit of our God." " In one Spirit we 
were all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. 
6 : 11 ; 12 : 13.) 

The forms : " Into the name of the Lord 
Jesus," " In the name of Jesus Christ," mani- 
festly imply, then, in the way the Lord ap- 
pointed, namely : " in the name of the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Spirit." 

A natural reason for reporting these forms 
appears in their brevity. They are synonyms. 
A more forceful and cogent reason appears in 
the new, unique, and striking manifestation of 
God, the incarnate Son, the atoning Saviour, 
the anointed Lord. He is brought into special 



74 THE lord's one baptism. 

prominence before the redeemed race, over 
which all " authority was given " him.^ 

(c) The Kite. 

The three Bible pictures of baptism exhibit 
its subjects all in the water. The spectator of 
the original pictures sees them all submerged 
— immersed there, and feels the propriety, the 
necessity of John's choosing places for the 
administration where there was plenty of 
water, as the Jordan and JEnon. 

If the English reader, with veiled eyes, pre- 
judiced against the Rite, and unmindful of its 
symbolical and spiritual import as seen in the 
sacred writings, asks why the spectator of the 
original sees the subjects of baptism immersed, 
he is reminded that the word " baptize " is a 
word transferred (not translated) from the 
language in which the New Testament was 
written. And the reader of that language 
knows that it uniformly signifies submersion 
or immersion. 

^ Still another reason appears, which is noticed at 
length in "Spiritual Import of Christian Baptism." 
(Section Y., 7, a.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 75 

The translators of the Authorized Version 
are said to have been forbidden by King 
James and the bishops to translate the word ; 
so, by human orders, they transferred it. The 
minority among the " Canterbury Revisers/' 
who were in favor of translating it, were over- 
ruled. In one of the two editions of the 
American Bible Union, Improved Edition,* 
the latter being the work of scholars who were 
unfettered, the word " baptize " is ti^anslated 
*' immerse.'* In the other, the word *' baptize** 
is retained. 

If there were valid reasons for transferring 
instead of translating the word, the student 
may ask, " Why not define its meaning in the 
margin, that the English, may, equally with 
the reader of the original, have the complete 
picture before him ? " 

It is the strange way of the world to give 
most to those who need least. 

Says Dr. Conant in his scholarly work, 
" Meaning and Uses of Baptizein,'* page 97 :^ 
" In all the versions for the use of the learned, 

1 Issued by the American Baptist Publication So- 
ciety. 



76 THE lord's one baptism. 

so far as known to the writer, the Greek word 
is rendered in this sense (to immerse) when 
its literal meaning is professedly given." 

The English reader may very well feel ag- 
grieved at this treatment ; but those who know 
the Greek have spoken. Liddel and Scott, in 
their latest edition of their Greek Lexicon 
limit the meaning of the word to the idea of 
immersion. With Dr. Conant, in the above- 
named work, both the English and Greek 
readers can trace the word in every depart- 
ment of the Greek literature through seventeen 
centuries (from b. c. 522-a. d. 1200). 

Its two hundred and thirty-six examples 
conclusively demonstrate that immersion is 
the act and idea uniformily expressed by the 
Greek word for baptize. 

The following statements of Dean Stanley^ 
are a typical testimony (unless exceptionally 
frank) of that from scholars of all. com- 
munions.'^ 

1 "Essay on Baptism," pages 21, 22, 23. 

^For a multitude of these testimonies the reader 
is referred to the *' Concessions and Concise Com- 
ments as to Baptism from Pedobaptists," by W. W. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 77 

" For the first thirteen centuries the almost 
universal practice of baptism was that of 
which we read in the New Testament, and 
which is the very meaning of the word ' bap- 
tize' — that those who were baptized, were 
plunged, submerged, immersed into the water/ 
.... It no doubt had the sanction of the 
apostles and their Master. ... On philological 
grounds it is quite correct to translate the 
name John the Baptist by John the Im- 
merser." 

As a matter of fact the Greek language has 

Everts, D. D., of Haverhill, Mass. In this book 
the compiler has collocated these testimonies of re- 
sponsible men from many languages, of many lands, 
and of many communions. (Published by the com- 
piler. ) 

^ The truth of this statement is sustained not by 
written history only, but also by the impressions in 
stone and painting which still remain in various 
parts of the world. For a study in these impressions, 
the reader is referred to "Footprints of Baptism in 
Europe,'^ by George W. Anderson, D. D., where in 
both word and picture the author has given the re- 
sults of his own personal researches, and examina- 
tion of many of these works of Christian art. 
(American Baptist Publication Society, Philadel- 
phia. ) 



78 THE lord's one baptism. 

definite words to express definite acts and 
ideas. For example 

Kantizein QFavrHlecv^^zto sprinkle. 

Ekchein (^Ex^etv)=to pour. 

Baptizein (Banrt^eiv^zzzto immerse. 

The last being the word used by the Lord 
in his command. 

Says Alexander De Stourdza,^ Chancellor 
of the Greek Church of Russia : 

" The verb Baptizo (^Bairrc^a)) immergo, has, 
in fact, but one sole acceptation. It signifies 
literally and always to plunge. Baptism and 
immersion are therefore identical ; and to say, 
baptism by aspersion, is as if one should say, 
immersion by aspersion, or any other absurdity 
of the same nature."^ 

With the pictures before him, with the uni- 
form voice of true scholars, and with the sym- 
bolic, spiritual import which the apostles in 

iThis authority is a native Greek, the language to 
which the word baptism (BairTtV/ma) belongs, being his 
mother tongue. 

2 Quoted by Dr. Conant in "Meaning and Uses of 
Baptizein," page 151. This book should be ex- 
amined by every one who is responsible for the teach- 
ing of religious truth. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 79 

their writings associate with the Kite, the 
English reader may certainly know that the 
subjects in these examples were immersed in 
the waters. 

Section IV. — One baptism. (Eph. 4 : 5.) 

As the context (1-16) shows, the apostle 
refers, not to its being limited to a single ad- 
ministration to the subject ; but to its uni- 
formity in kind— to a baptism common to all the 
Christians. A uniform thing : as " one Lord, one 
faith," involving their unity. (See pp. 51-54, 
Section V., 7, (a), (c), and (d). 

Even if the word " baptize " was not uni- 
form in its meaning, expressing one and only 
one definite act, the apostolic reflection, " one 
baptism," would rule out " modes," even as it 
also limits the formula — the faith to one God, 
and the subjects to one kind. 

Section V. — Symbolic and spiritual im- 
port OF christian baptism. 

1. An Image of Overwhelming Suffering. 
What student of the Messiah's passion will 



80 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

regard that suffering which overwhelmed his 
soul as too strongly imaged when he calls it a 
" baptism to be baptized with " ? That surging 
ocean of human guilt, of the divine judgment, 
of human and demoniac wrath, that physical 
anguish, and that spiritual darkness which 
wrung the cry : " Eloi, eloi, lama sabachlhani ! " 
submerged the sensitive, suffering Son of God. 
In the words on p. 46, V., 1, (b) is implied the 
Godward glance of baptism (compare 1 Peter 
3 : 21), together with the great office of his 
passion in the work of redemption. 

2. Of the Fullness of the Holy Spirit and 
of Fire. 

When the Lord gave his Holy Spirit to his 
servants on the day of Pentecost, there was no 
stint. "They were all filled with the Holy 
Spirit." "It filled all the house where they 
were sitting." 

This reveals them in the same condition as 
though there had been an absolute immersion. 
Not more surely can one be immersed in water. 
Not more surely were they immersed in air 
than were they immersed in that wonderful 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 81 

Spirit. How natural then, how forceful, that 
when he would convey a promise of this pleni- 
tude the Lord should use the word " baptism '' 
to shadow it forth. And since the Holy Spirit 
is the purifier of the soul, we can see a double 
felicity in the choice of the image. 

3. Of Cleansing From Sin. 

The word of God represents sin as an un- 
clean, a filthy thing: repulsive to God. "He 
cannot look upon sin." But it reveals, also, 
the ability and willingness of the Holy One to 
make the sinner pure again. These two truths 
are expressed by symbols as well as by words. 
Most impressively are they set forth in Chris- 
tian baptism. See p. 48, (c) and p. 49, (d). 
The passages on p. 48, (a) and (6), reveal also 
the active, co-operative agency of the persons 
thus cleansed. "Wash away thy sins," etc. 
But " ye were washed, but ye were sanctified." 

To them the word and the water have been 
effective lessons. 



82 THE lord's one baptism. 

4. Burial, Kesurrection, A New Life. 

The examples, while they teach the won- 
drous truths which determined the title of the 
seventh division of this section, imply also that 
the rite of Christian baptism typifies the burial 
of the dead, and their resurrection to a second 
— to a different life. The sign and the thing 
signified are correspondent. The Christ, the 
Leader, in a funeral condition was borne into 
the tomb ; was raised up ; emerged from it ; 
and " liveth to God." The Christian baptism 
is its emblematic, symbolic counterpart. The 
Christ's burial and resurrection were the sub- 
stance, this the shadow. The Christ's was the 
original ; this the image, the likeness, the pic- 
ture. Wondrous analogy ! 

" We were buried, therefore, with him 

1 In Dr. Geikie's *'Life of Christ," Vol. I., chap- 
ter 26, pp. 413, 414, appears this beautiful reflection 
on the baptism of Jesus: 

" Holy and pure before sinking under the waters, 
he must yet have risen from theni with the light of 
a higher glory in his countenance. ... It was the 
true moment of his entrance on a new life. Past 
years had been buried in the waters of the Jordan. 
He entered them as Jesus the Son of man ; he rose 
from them the Christ of God." 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 83 

through the baptism into his death ; that just as 
Christ was raised from the dead through the 
elory of the Father, so we also might walk iu 
newness of life." (Rom. 6 : 4.) 
' With the spiritual phenomena involved and 
set forth in this symbol, agree all the apostolic 
precepts to the baptized. They are to reckon 
themselves as having died, been buried, and 
raised from the dead ; and to live accordingly. 

5. A Seal of the Divine Proprietorship. 

This and the succeeding division, as will be 
seen, do not contain the word " baptize " in any 
form; but their reference to the formula, 
making use of a special feature of its spiritual 
import, is so manifest that they naturally take 
their places here. 

The doctrine involved in Eph. 4 : 30, p. 50, 
5 is, that in their Christian baptism the bap- 
tized were sealed by the loving Spirit of God, 
with God's own signet or name, as God^s own 
property. With this agrees also the idea set 
forth in the passage which invites comparison : 
'* Ye were sanctified [set apart or consecrated'] 
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the 



84 THE lord's one baptism. 

Spirit of our God/' where the baptismal 
formula, with its devoting or consecrating 
ofBce, is unquestionably referred to. 

The sealing ofBce of the formula is brought 
into peculiar prominence in the passages com- 
prising both these divisions. And so at the same 
time is there palpable reference to that divine 
influence of the Holy Spirit which is its silent, 
invisible, natural counterpart or accompani- 
ment ; an influence or power, transforming and 
conforming the human spirit to that state which 
the ^* formula " implies, expresses, demands. 
An influence which often had been manifested 
also in miraculous endowment. 

The redemption which God's possession, the 
baptized, are indicated as awaiting, is doubt- 
less that of which the same apostle speaks in 
his letter to the Komans. "Ourselves also, 
though we have the first fruits of the Spirit, 
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 
waiting for the adoption, the redemption of 
our body." (8 : 23.) Compare 2 Cor. 5 : 4, 5, 
and 1 Cor. 15 ; also 1 John 3 : 2. Passages 
referring to this redemption abound in the 
word of God. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 85 

Well may those sealed for such a redemp- 
tion refrain from grieving the Holy Spirit of 
God. See 1 John 3:3. '' Every one who has 
this hope on him purifies himself even as he 
(Christ) is pure." 

6. A Seal of Heirship and an Earnest of 
Inheritance. 

A large proprietor, having won his affection, 
adopts a person as his son ; and with a view to 
making him his heir, he gives to him his own 
name, as the seal of the relation ; and as the 
first installment, or " earnest " of all that is 
coming. Together with this, and continuing 
(within the limits of human power) there will 
be the further communicating, as an *' earnest," 
of the sentiments, ideas, and characteristics 
of the benefactor to the adopted son. 

The passages comprising this division repre- 
sent the baptized as being in their baptism, 
sealed heirs of an inheritance. The divine 
name given to them in their baptism, and the 
divine presence with his characteristics in 
their hearts are represented as the earnest of 

all that is coming to them. 
8 



86 THE lord's one baptism. 

The inheritance which these heirs await, is 
spoken of manifoldly in the word of God. In 
the words of the Apostle Peter, it is called the 
"inheritance imperishable, and undefiled and 
unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by the 
power of God are guarded through faith unto 
a salvation ready to be revealed in the last 
time.*' (1 Peter 1 : 4, 5.) 

That God should put his own name upon 
sinful though repentant, believing man, is a 
marvelous thing. That he should do it, 
together with the correspondent, counterpart 
gift of the Holy Spirit in the heart as a " First 
Gift, an Earnest" of an infinite fullness in 
store for such, is unspeakable. 

" Oh, the depth of the riches, both the wis- 
dom and the knowledge of God. How un- 
searchable are his judgments, and his ways 
past tracing out. For who knew the mind 
of the Lord ? Or who became his counselor ? 
Or who first gave to him, and it shall be 
given back to him again? For of him and 
through him and to him are all things; to 
him be the glory forever. Amen." (Rom. 
11 : 33-36.) 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 87 

But such benevolence is just like God. Be 
it " To the praise of his glory." 

7. Community with the Christ, and thus 
With All Who Are His. 

The examples of this division startle us with 
two mighty doctrines. 

1. That fellowship, partnevb^w, co- heirship , 
community, with the Christ, was e^6o>^ in Chris- 
tian Baptism, 

2. That in this same Baptism, all " Drinking 
of the same Spirit,^' people of all races and 
social conditions were made one family, a unit, 
one body, the body of Christ. 

Respecting the first, as Christ was crucified 
and died for sin, so it is written of the bap- 
tized, " Our old man was crucified with him." 
" We died with Christ." As Christ was buried, 
so of the baptized it is written, *^We were 
buried with him." As Christ was raised 
from the dead for our justification, so of the 
baptized it was written, " We were also raised 
with him," and '' He that hath died is justified 
from sin." " Ye are in Christ, who is made 
unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctifi- 



88 THE lord's one baptism. 

cation and redemption/' Of the Christ it is 
written, " It pleased the Father that in him 
should all the fullness dwell." " In him dwells 
all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily." So 
of the baptized it is written, " And ye are 
made full in him who is the head of every 
principality and authority." 

To be out of this fellowship with the Christ 
is a desolate condition indeed — divorced from 
God, involving final woe. But in him the 
Mediator, the Reconciler, the harmonious 
union, broken by the presumptuous act in 
Eden, is re-established. 

The relation of Christian Baptism to this 
blessed fellowship, this harmonious union, de- 
mands our profoundest thought. 

The inspired language is, " All we who were 
baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into 
his death. We were buried therefore with 
him through baptism into his death. ... If we 
have become united with the likeness of his 
death, we shall be also with that of his resur- 
rection J' ..." He that died has been justified 
from sin.". "If we died with Christ we believe 
that we shall also live with him J' (Horn. 6 : 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 89 

3-8.) All ye who were baptized into Christ, 
did put on Christ." (Gal. 3 : 27.) 

One of the vital meanings of these double- 
meaning expressions — a mental, spiritual ex- 
perience of the subject of baptism (p. 31, section 
3, 1) has already been noticed ; but it is in- 
terwoven with the great truth which we are 
noticing here. 

There is one palpable case, at least : that of 
Simon Magus, who, though baptized, had '' no 
part nor lot in this matter : for thy heart is 
not right before God. ... I perceive thee to 
be in a gall of bitterness and a bond of un- 
righteousness." Thus said inspired Peter, 
(Acts 8 : 21-23.) Lacking the essential char- 
acter of a fit subject, his baptism evidently was 
not a spiritual, but simply a material act — a 
thing of the flesh only. His spirit, being in- 
congruous with the Christ, with the faith, with 
the nature of the formula, he was not really, 
but only formally, baptized into Christ. 

On the contrary, of those who were " bap- 
tized into Christ " it is written : " In him ye 
were circumcised with a circumcision not 
made with hands, in the putting ofl* of the 
8* 



90 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

body of the flesh, wherein ye were also raised 
with him through faith in God, who raised him 
from the dead." (Col. 2 : 11.) And "our old 
man was crucified with him, that the body of 
sin might be destroyed." (Rom. 6 : 6.) 

Men put away things which they esteem as 
of no value. Says Paul: "We are the cir- 
cumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God 
and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no trust 
in the flesh/' (Phil. 3 : 3.) " They that are 
of Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its pas- 
sions and desires." (Gal. 5 ; 24.) To such, 
the " flesh," that is, that nature which is of 
blood, of fleshly generation, as contrasted with 
that nature which is begotten of the will, and 
by the Spirit of God, is fit simply to be put off 
— to be buried. They reject the federal head- 
ship of Adam. Their relation to him is abro- 
gated. Being then, in this sense, practically 
dead to him, they are buried : seeking and 
finding vital relation with the new Federal 
Head of the race — the second Adam — the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

The disobedient act in Eden effected man's 
separation from God, the fountain of life. The 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 91 

spiritual temper, of which this act was the 
manifestation, was infidelity. The Christian 
baptism, a committal in the appointed grave 
to the Christ, was an intelligent, deliberate act 
of reversion : issuing in fellowship, community 
with the Christ, and crowned with reunion 
with God. The spiritual temper, of which this 
act was the motion, the breathing, the spirit, 
is faith. (See James 2 : 14-26.) 

So, of the baptized it is written: ''Ye are 
all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus : 
for all ye who were baptized into Christ did 
put on Christ." (Gal. 3 : 27.) 

This faith, so vital, so essential, appears 
before us in twofold action : the receiving of 
the Christ as he gave himself for man in his 
passion, and the giving back of self to him in 
the appointed baptism, as to the Redeemer 
who bought us, the Lord to whom we belong. 

As we saw in the last division, the passion 
of the Christ and the baptism of the persuaded, 
believing one are set as part and counterpart. 
From an objective point of view, the gifts and 
receptions are mutual. And back and beyond 
— even within all the motions and emotions of 



92 THE lord's one baptism. 

the human, the divine Spirit so operated that 
of the baptized it is truly written in his word : 
<• By grace have ye been saved, through faith, 
and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of 
God." 

Kespecting the second. The Christ prayed 
for those who believed on him through his 
servant's word : " That all may be one, as 
thou, Father, in me, and I in thee, that they 
also may be in us; that the world may 
believe that thou didst send me. And the 
glory which thou hast given to me I have 
given to them, that they may be one, as we are 
one ; I in them and thou in me, that they may 
be perfected into one; that the world may 
know that thou didst send me, and lovedst 
them as thou lovedst me." (John 17 : 21-23.) 

At the desire of his father, the king ; and 
with the promise that it should be his for the 
winning and recovery, a prince visited avast 
province of the empire that was in rebellion, 
and in a state of complex alienation from the 
throne. He found the people, generally, care- 
less and ignorant of the will of the king. Their 
leaders regardless of his laws and tampering 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 93 

with them, although these were the very laws 
of life itself. Multitudes had even forgotten 
his name, and few knew anything of his char- 
acter. Generally, it might be said, **' every 
man was doing that which was right in his own 
eyes, so far as his power went. Woman was 
commonly despised as the inferior of man, and 
appraised as the slave of his will. Naturally 
enough the province was in a sad state of dis- 
order. The people had set up many kings, 
and were much divided by government, poli- 
tics, race, and by what they called religion ; 
by social position (chiefly determined by pos- 
sessions, or the lack of them — wealth or pov- 
erty) ; by intellectual differences, and by 
different attainments in knowledge, while 
monev answered all ends. 

The result was superabundance and insuffi- 
ciency. More than heart could wish, and fell 
want. Oppression by the strong, and hopeless 
anguish in the weak; pampered lords and 
weary, wretched, despairing slaves. Antipathy, 
hatred, malice, vice, degradation, disease, 
mourning, woe. Frequently these disorders 
overflowed in murder ; often they surged into 



94 THE lord's one baptism. 

waves of war. In the clash of battle the air 
resounded with the groans of the dying, and 
the earth drank the blood of the slain. The 
bereaved wept in secret. The sorrow swelled 
as the billows of the sea. 

It need not be said that this disorder in all 
its complexity, in all its parts, in its minutest 
details, was displeasing to the righteous gov- 
ernment of the king; that it loudly called for 
his resentment and for its need of dire punish- 
ment. 

The prince was deeply grieved. He was 
anofrv at the hardness of heart and rebuked 
the unfeeling oppressors. He groaned in 
spirit over the sorrow and wept many tears. He 
made known his father's mind and character 
and will. He helped the helpless. He pleaded 
with the people to repent, to return to their 
proper allegiance, and by a supernal great- 
ness, by a wondrous benevolence, and by a 
deathless love, he vindicated his claim to their 
devotion. 

Some responded to his appeal and gathered 
round him; but those in authority, being very 
adverse to him, manipulated the rabble with 



THE lord's one baptism. 95 

cruel cunning, and killed the prince of peace. 
By loving hands he was buried. 

The scence changes. A mysterious influence 
comes over many people. Throughout that 
wide domain, from contrition, from love and 
grief for him who died, they die, are buried, 
Jew and Gentile, barbarian, Scythian, bond 
and free, leveled in a common grave. The 
life of injurious differences ended forever. 

The Prince himself had arisen from the 
dead. To gain a mighty end, the making of 
a brotherhood, a true nation, he had appointed 
this common burial, and then he went back to 
the court of the King.^ 

Behold a picture of the world ! Of the pro- 
cedure of the Messiah, the Lord, by his 
Father's will ! Of his rejection by his own ! 
Of the grace of his spirit upon a people ! Of 
his end in appointing the Christian baptism. 

We have gazed upon the divine method for 
making from all the nations of the earth a 

iThe writer does not present this allegory as ana- 
logous to the Atonement, but simplj^ as illustrative 
of the divine benevolence and mercy, and of their 
manifest effect upon some of the sinful race. 



96 THE lord's one baptism. 

nation, a united people, a unity that suppressed, 
that ruled out, racial, political, social, and all 
other carnal, alien distinctions — distinctions 
which are displeasing to God and injurious to 
man. (Compare Acts 2 : 44-47 ; 4 : 32-35.) 

Oh, wondrous grave, wherein Prince and 
people are unified ! 

" All ye who were baptized into Christ did 
put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, 
there is neither bond nor free, there is no male 
and female ; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus^ 
" In one Spirit we were all baptized into one 
body, whether bond or free ; and were all made 
to drink of one Spirit'' (See Gal. 3 : 26-29 ; 
1 Cor. 12 : 13. Compare Col. 2 : 20 ; 3 : 15 ; 
Eph. 2 : 15, 16 ; 3 : 6 ; 4 : 4 ; Rom. 12 : 4, 5 ; 
1 Cor. 12 : 27; 2 Cor. 5 : 17; Eph. 1 : 10; 

3 : 5, 6.) 

Of this wondrous body we read, " Christ is 
the head.'' (Col. 1 : 18 ; 2 : 19 ; Eph. 5 : 23 ; 

4 : 15, and 1 : 22.) Well then is it named 
^'his body." (1 Cor. 12: 27; Eph. 1 : 23; 
5:30;CoJ. 1 : 24.) 

Of this body and of the Spirit which 
possesses and animates it, the Apostle Paul 



THE lord's one baptism. 97 

has most felicitously written. (1 Cor. 12 : 
12-18 ; Eph. 4 : 1-16.) 

The body is organized, organic. Its mem- 
bers, all vitally, sympathetically, responsively 
connected, sustain different functions, and are 
all essential to its well-being, to its harmony, 
to its symmetry, to its beauty. Every member 
or part is to be appreciated accordingly. 

The Spirit who animates, who possesses this 
Body is One. It is the Spirit whom the Christ 
promised to them that believed on him (John 
7 : 37-39 ; compare 3 : 5, 6), and who is so 
perpetually spoken of throughout the word of 
God. " All were made to drink of one Spirit.'*' 
The baptism in that one Spirit was the objec- 
tive, the visible correspondent to that inward 
spiritual drinking. The baptism of the 
Christ , of Cornelius and his co-hearers, and 
of the twelve Ephesians (p. 35, 7, p. 37, 10), 
are most tangible examples thereof. 

It was for this living, organic unity, that 
the Christ, when standing on the threshhold 
of his death-agony, prayed. And two of his 
objects in the desire for this unity are ex- 
pressed in the words, " That the world may 
9 



98 THE lord's one baptism. 

know that thou didst send me ; and lovedst 
them as thou lovedst me." (John 17 : 21-23.) 
Thus in a unity were his people to be the 
witness of God. 

In the word of God, this baptized, spirit- 
filled people bear many names. The church 
(Ixxkr^ffia), a title expressive of their separation 
and distinction from the aliens and also from 
unfallen spirits, in response to the gospel ap- 
peal or call. This title is used in both a local 
and a universal sense, both being generally 
correspondent in type. They are called " A 
peculiar people." " A people for God's own 
possession," that they may show forth the ex- 
cellencies of him who called them out of dark- 
ness into his marvelous light, who in time 
past were not a people, but now are the people 
of God." " An elect race " (chosen). " The 
household of faith ; " expressive of their pecu- 
liar characteristic, the common faith. "A 
royal priesthood " (intercessors clothed with 
royal dignity to approach God with prayer 
and offering). " A holy nation " (a nation set 
apart to God). "The household of God," as 
1 comprising his children, he their Father. " The 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 99 

temple of God," when conceived of as a build- 
ing wherein God resides and is worshiped. A 
temple of God, constructed of " living stones/' 
laid together according to the design and di- 
rections of the Great Architect, by wise master 
builders who took heed how they builded. 
" The kingdom of God,'*' as his loyal subjects, 
his power in the world. " The kingdom of 
heaven," as pertaining to and characteristic 
of heaven and distinguished from the kino;- 
doms characteristic of the earth. 

Gathered from many once alien peoples, 
they comprise the nation of which the Mes- 
siah spoke when he said to the Jews, " The 
kingdom of heaven shall be taken from you, 
and shall be given to a nation bringing forth 
the fruits thereof" 

The office of the Baptism in this building is 
twofold, subjective and objective. In its 
symbolic spiritual lessons, it works with the 
word in the preparation of the " living 
stones,*' and it is the instrumentality and act 
of putting them into the building. In its 
symbolic spiritual lessons, it operates with the 
word in the conversion of the alien, and it is 



100 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

the instrument and act of receiving the sub- 
ject into the " kingdom of God." (See John 
3:5.) 

It scarcely need be said that the Formula 
sustains its inseperable part in the symbolic 
spiritual import and offices of Christian bap- 
tism. It has already been recognized as a 
seal. (pp. 50, 51 , sec. V, 5, 6.) The fit subject, 
the Rite and the Formula are concomitants. 
The Rite and the Formula are correspondents 
of genuine Christian faith. 

The question of the Apostle Paul to the 
Corinthians (1 Cor. 1 : 13), " Were ye bap- 
tized into the name of Paul ? '' implies that the 
baptized were committed to the person in 
whose name they were baptized. Thus, the 
Christian baptism is a consecration, as well as 
a confession of faith ; and manifold more. 
With this accords the statements of the same 
apostle, " Ye were sanctified [set apart] . . . 
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the 
Spirit of our God." "All ye who were baptized 
into Christ, did put on Christ," " one Lord, one 
faith." All harmonizing with the words of the 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 101 

Lord himself. " One is your Teacher, and all 
ye are brethren." ** One is your Leader, the 
Christ." (Matt. 23 : 8, 10.) 

The reflection of Paul in 1 Cor. 10 : 2 and 
context, revealing the consequences of infidel- 
ity, admonishes the baptized (the committed, 
the consecrated, the devoted) of the absolute 
need of fidelity to their Lord and leader, the 
Christ. (Compare Heb. 10 : 29.) 

Remarks. 

In this connection the relation to the king- 
dona of heaven of such little children as the 
King received is of pleasing interest. Jesus 
calling them to him ; said, " Sufier the little 
children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not : for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven,^* 
(Luke 18 : 16.) " And he folded them in his 
arms and blessed them, putting his hands on 
themr (Mark 10 : 16.) 

Of such is the kingdom of heaven then 
without baptism, by the divine benevolence 
and grace. It is just like God. 

The King, being unchangeable, and in his 

Spirit omnipresent, mothers have the privilege, 
9* 



102 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

and it is their duty too, to take their babes in 
a spiritual manner to him still. The reception 
and blessing will unquestionably be poten- 
tially the same. 

It is noticable, as certain as the narrators 
have given us the facts, that the Lord re- 
ceived these children without baptizing them. 
The attitude of the disciples, who had bap- 
tized for Jesus long prior to this, demonstrates 
that they knew nothing about baptizing such 
little children. Long prior to this reception 
Jesus had said to Nicodemus, " Unless a man 
be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 
into the kingdom of God." And here we see 
the same teacher, the Lord receiving little chil- 
dren as " of the kingdom of heaven — of God,'*' 
without any agency of water, as in baptism. 

To say that the Lord is consistent is super- 
fluous. He is intelligible too. His conduct 
toward the children qualifies his statement to 
the rabbi of Israel. 

We have learned from the word of God 
that the administration of the sacred Rite and 
Formula does not constitute the water birth 
of which the Lord spake ; but that repentance 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 103 

and faith are inseparable, essential, constituent 
elements thereof. 

In the divine salvation for the fallen, re- 
deemed race of Adam, only what is possessed 
by each individual member is required of 
him. Incompetent to such repentance and 
faith as are inseparable, component parts of 
this birth of water, these children were incom- 
petent to baptism; hence, very naturally, it 
was neither required nor imposed. Its out- 
ward, objective part, apart from intelligent re- 
pentance and faith, having no part in the 
divine system, baptism, very naturally, was 
not administered to them. Being by genera- 
tion, by nature, by character of the fallen, 
but redeemed race, the little children were 
identified with its estate and fortunes. Being 
of flesh, in order to salvation, they too must 
be born of the Spirit from above, but not 
until they possess the faculties competent to 
consecrate themselves ; not until they possess 
the faculties competent to faith, is the baptism 
of faith, the only baptism, required of them. 
Until these faculties are possessed, the King re- 
ceives them simply of his infinite benevolence. 



104 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

May we not pervert, but read, mark, learn, 
and inwardly digest the other lesson taught us 
in the words of the Lord : " Of such is the 
kingdom of heaven." The kingdom of heaven 
is of such as have intelligently " become like 
little children." Modest and guileless as they. 
" Whoever does not receive the kingdom of 
God as a little child, will in no wise enter 
therein.' (Mark 10 : 15.) 

When his disciples, under the spur of carnal 
aspiration, disputed who among them should 
be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, 
" calling a little child to him, he placed it in 
the midst of them, and said. Verily I say 
unto you, if ye do not turn and become as the 
little children, ye shall not enter into the 
kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, 
shall humble himself as this little child, he is 
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." 
(Matt. 18 : 2-4.) 

Perhaps the distinctive characteristic of the 
little children — that which distinguishes them 
so much from ambitious adults — that which 
Christ had in mind, and which he demands 
of adults, is what might be called a-egoism. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 105 

The adult, having developed in sin, has be- 
come very self-conscious, self-important, self- 
sufficient, and intelligently self-seeking. From 
the divine point of view, he is an egotist. 
As opposed to this, the little child is not yet 
possessed of that self-conscious, self-sufficient 
personality; not yet intelligently, of that 
carnal, self-seeking, sordid mind. Under a 
sense of what is without him, he is humble, 
receptive, inquiring. Not yet the victim of 
avarice and carnal ambition ; he is not yet an 
egotist ; not yet suspicious ; he trusts. 

It naturally strikes us that he is in a most 
favorable condition for the operation of the 
divine benevolence ; for the gracious reception 
into the kingdom of God. And the attitude 
of the Christ assures us of the Father's mind. 
" It is not the will of your Father who is in 
heaven that one of these little ones should 
perish." (Matt. 18 : 14.) 

From this glorious fact, and from the saying 
of the Lord to Nicodemus : " Unless a man be 
born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter 
into the kingdom of God," presuming' reason 
might infer that little children, especially 



106 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

babes, are the best qualified subjects of Chris- 
tian baptism. Before childlike reverence and 
eagerness to know the truth, stands the prac- 
tice of the Christ and of his commissioned and 
inspired servants. The Teacher, the Lord, 
practiced and enjoined, and his authorized 
servants practiced and taught, but " one bap- 
tism " — that of intelligent faith. The Lord's 
baptism is an appointment for those who in- 
telligently become like little children. And 
these, as distinguished from the little children 
who are, as the Lord said, " of the kingdom of 
heaven" without baptism, constitute that part 
or phase or feature of the kingdom of heaven 
which in the word of God is called the church. 
They have become like little children in 
responding to the gospel call. 

From the revelation of the Divine Father's 
mind respecting the little ones, it is obvious 
that, in his gracious benevolence, he will not 
allow a member of the human race who has 
not deliberately ignored that gracious benevo- 
lence to perish. " It is not the will of your 
Father who is in heaven that one of these little 
ones should perish.'' 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 107 

Of a dying race, the little ones may die the 
first death ; but as little ones, they shall not die 
the " second death." 

This divine purpose seems to have been one 
of the bases for the endowments and promises, 
which are called " blessings." To Noah and 
to his family (Gen. 9 : 1), " Be fruitful, and 
multiply, and replenish the earth." To Abra- 
ham (Gen. 12 : 2 and 15 : 5), " And he brought 
him forth abroad, and said. Look now toward 
heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to 
number them : and he said unto him. So shall 
thy seed be.'' (See also 17 : 2.) To Hagar, 
respecting Ishmael (Gen. 16; 10), "I will 
greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be 
numbered for multitude." To Isaac, to Jacob, 
and to many others. 

All these persons, being of the fallen Adamic 
race, were incompetent to the generation of 
other than fallen beings like themselves. 
Hence it is in the light of this divine purpose 
only that the increase promised would appear 
to us as a " blessing." 

As to those who live to intelligently ignore 
the gracious attitude of God (an attitude not 



108 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

without expression in nature as well as in the 
gospel), be it by the rejection of the love and 
claims of the Christ, or by other willful, per- 
sistent sin (which is essentially the same thing), 
insulting God's mercy, they are guilty of spir- 
itual suicide. They invite the " second death "; 
and being severed from the Fountain of life, 
they will secure it for themselves. 

The change of attitude to God, which, as 
we have seen, is called " faith ; the new rela- 
tion with God which is its concomitant is 
their imperative need. It should be made as 
soon as the ability to sin wilfully exists, for all 
delay is sin. 

8. Baptism Connected with Remission and 
Washing away of Sins ; with Justification ; 
with Reception of the Gift of the Holy Spirit ; 
with the Saving of the Soul ; with Entrance 
into the Kingdom of God. 

The aflSinity of the doctrines taught in this, 
and in the Scriptures of the preceding division 
is palpable. 

On page 47, section V., 3, we have noticed 
the fact that baptism is a symbol of cleans- 



THE LORDS ONE BAPTISM. 109 

ing. The Scriptures teach also that remis- 
sion of sins (p. 54, a), that washing away of 
sins (p. 55, by^G, d), that justification (p. 55, c), 
that the gift of the Holy Spirit (p. 54, a), that 
the saving of the soul (p. 57, g), and that 
entrance into the kingdom of God (p. 57, A), 
were connected with Christian baptism. 

The connection of all these benefits with 
each other, and with baptism, gives them their 
place in this division. 

The doctrine tauo:ht is seen in full force in 
p. 56, /; p. 57, g. " In an antitype baptism 
now saves you,'' " He that believeth and is 
baptized shall be savedJ' 

It is perfectly natural that the apostle who 
advised the baptized Simon Magus of his for- 
lorn estate should advise those to whom he 
was writing (p. 56, /) how baptism saves ; 
namely, not by any material or ceremonial 
efiect upon the flesh (that is, the natural man), 
but by the Godward attitude of the con- 
science therein, an attitude of which baptism 
was the motion, the spirit. (See James 2:17- 
26.) Motives, as we have previously seen, are 
all important here. 

10 • 



110 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

The apostle presents the baptism as the 
" antitype/' or correspondent with the savin or 
of Noah and his family. With certain feelings 
Godward, that is with faith, they went into 
the ark, and were saved. With certain feel- 
ings Godward, called here " a good con- 
science,*' the Christians responded, or answered 
in Baptism, and were saved. 

In the light of our previous studies the 
" good conscience toward God " is intelligible, 
and represents a spiritual attitude with which 
we are familiar, as the " concomitant " of 
Christian baptism and as an essential element 
of it ; namely, faith. 

In this light also, we are not surprised 
at the teaching of this division, that " baptism 
saves." The teaching is accordant with the re- 
ported promise of the Lord (p. 57, g), '' He 
that believeth and is baptized shall he saved^ 

Respecting the connection of baptism and 
entrance into the kingdom of God (p. 57, K), 
it is to be noted that the statement to Nico- 
demus, ''the teacher of Israel,*' was uttered 
by the Lord before the '' command," and dur- 
ing the time when both the Lord's disciples 



THE LORDS ONE BAPTISM. Ill 

and John the Baptist were baptizing. (John 
3 : 22, 23 ; 4 : 1, 2.) 

The phrase " born of water " indisputably 
refers directly to that baptism which de- 
manded, imposed, involved, and expressed 
repentance unto life, and was " unto remission 
of sins;" to that baptism wherein the Lord 
said, *' All the people, when they heard, justi- 
fied God, being baptized." 

From the spiritual import of Christian bap- 
tism, from its vital office in the Lord's system, 
as revealed in our studies (an import and 
office surelv not absent from the mind of their 
Author) we admit that the words of the Lord 
unquestionably look forward also to the bap- 
tism enjoined in his pre-ascension " command." 

Be it here remembered, how the compari- 
sons throughout the collocation of Scriptures 
show how much there is in common between the 
baptism by John, and by Jesus previous to the 
" command," and that which characterizes the 
"command," and which we call "Christian 
Baptism." The latter embodies all the mean- 
ings of the former, together with the wondrous 
ideas which are peculiar to the Christian faith. 



112 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

In the light of our foregoing studies, the 
relation of the " water and the Spirit," the 
need of being " born of water and the Spirit *' 
are obvious. (We have seen how the ^* king- 
dom of God,'' " of heaven " was formed.) The 
terms are inseparable, as body and life in 
a living body, and are expressive of that con- 
crete development in the true subject of bap- 
tism which is the response to the imperative 
order, " Repent and be baptized ; " a response 
for which man is responsible, in which he is 
not only a thinker, but also an actor, a doer. 
(Compare Ezek. 18 : 30-320 Of that pro- 
duct of the Holy Spirit from above, which is 
called the " new heart," the " new creature " 
(see Jer. 24:7; 31:33, 34; 32:38, 39. 
Ezek. 11:19; 36 : 26, 27), without which one 
" cannot see the kingdom of God." 

Herein we see a natural reason why the 
subjects of God-appointed baptism are called 
" Sons of God." They are " begotten of him." 
" Not of blood, . . . nor of the will of man, but 
of God." "As many as received him to them 
gave he right [authority] to become children 
of God, to them that believe on his name " 



THE LORDS ONE BAPTISM. 113 

" Except one be born of water and the 
Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God/'" 

To be in that kingdom is life — but to be 
out of that kino^dom ! ! ! 

Section VI. — Respecting church, pe- 

TRINE, AND INDIVIDUAL AUTHORITY AND LIB- 
ERTY IN THE TEACHING AND COMMANDS OF 
THE LORD. 

Page 58 (a) shows that the Lord gave to his 
church, assembled in his name, full jurisdic- 
tion in disciplining its members, together 
with a more extended spiritual authority. 
This authority is predicated upon his presence 
in their midst. Their decisons are thus con- 
firmed in heaven. 

Page 58 (b) contains the promise of the 
Christ to give to his confessor, Peter, person- 
ally, a great office and authority. The refer- 
ence in John 20 : 21-23 reveals, together with 
the endowment of the Holy Spirit, a kindred — 
perhaps an identical — endowment to ten of the 
disciples (apostles), Thomas being absent. 

The addresses and writings of the apostles 
and the decrees of the Council in Jerusalem — 
10* 



114 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

the Holy Spirit being with them — exhibit the 
exercise of these powers. They did not '' lead 
forward/' but abode in the " teaching of the 
Christ." They loosed other yokes, but did not 
relax the yoke of the Lord. They did not 
break the Lord's commands, " and teach men 
so," but accordant with the great " command" 
(their commission), they taught them " to ob- 
serve all things whatever he commanded." 
They bound the yoke of the Lord upon men. 

This conduct, as is seen on p. 59 (c), (d), and 
references, is the concomitant of the Lord's 
abiding presence. Compare : " Every one who 
leads forward, and abides not in the teaching of 
Christ, hath not God J' 

Section VII. — Divine judgments upon 

MEN who used another THAN A DIVINE 

appointment in Jehovah's service. 

These judgments upon presumptuous sin- 
ners may have been, and evidently were, 
proportionately few. The examples are, never- 
theless, sufficient to advise the race of Jehovah's 
mind respecting presumption, especially in 
divine things. Let those who presume with 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 115 

God read and tremble. " Let them that love 
him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his 
might." *' Let us have grace whereby we may 
offer service well pleasing to God with rever- 
ence and awe; for our God is a consuming 
fire.'' 

We may not analyze the motives of these 
subjects of the divine judgment, and say it 
was not the act but the motive that involved 
them. As the fruit is to the tree, so is conduct 
to motive. " The tree is known by its fruit." 

The command to the priests throughout all 
their generations, not to drink wine or strong 
drink when they go into the tent of meeting, 
lest they die (Lev. 10 : 8, 9), following, as it 
does, the record of the conduct of, and judg- 
ment upon, Nadab and Abihu, suggests the 
probability that these priests presumed when 
under the influence of intoxicating drink to 
go into the place of meeting. Well might we 
suppose that men in the normal possession of 
their faculties would shrink from presumption 
in divine things, from very fear of the Almighty. 
But we look upon a phenomenon in the world 
to-day that thoroughly disproves the supposi- 



116 THE LORD S ONE BAPTISM. 

tion. A multitude of professed servants of the 
Lord, Messiah, substituting unconscious infants 
for the subjects, and a few drops of water for 
the liquid grave of his appointment ; a babe for 
a disciple; and rhantism for baptism. Manj 
of these have introduced as a kind of compen- 
sation, " sponsors,'' and a rite which they have 
seen fit to call '' Confirmation,"^ and for which 
they claim apostolic origin and Scripture 
authority. Others call upon the rhantized one 
when he has reached responsible years to 
comply wdth the '^ covenant obligations *' ; to 
" redeem the pledges which were made for him 
in his baptism " (so called), or to *' give his 
heart to God." These all retain the use of the 
Triune formula, but others still have laid the 
Lord's baptism aside altogether as a local, tem- 
porary, and antiquated thing. 

1 The design and office of what these call "con- 
firmation," and the design and office of "laying on 
of hands," as seen in the New Testament, are so 
palpably foreign to each other that the former, though 
hoary, must be pronounced "an innovation." 

The Lord connected miraculous endowment with 
the apostolic act. To assume successorship, identify 
the acts, and develop weakness instead of power, is 
worse than contemptible. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 117 

The following from Dean Stailley (*' Essay 
on Baptism," pages 20, 22, 23, 24 and 30) is 
at least a frank statement of what has been 
done with the divine institution of Christian 
Baptism, and of the institution that has pur- 
loined and stalked over the earth in its name : 

" The Eastern Church, with its usual tenacity 
to ancient forms, still immerses, still commu- 
nicates, and still confirms its infant members. 
But in the Western Church the Christian 
religion has taken its free natural course ; and 
in the boldness which substituted a few drops 
of water for the ancient bath, ... we have at 
once the best proof of the total and necessary 
divergence of modern from ancient doctrine. 

^'With few exceptions, the whole of the 
Western churches have now substituted for the 
ancient bath the ceremony of sprinkling a few 
drops of water on the face. The reason of the 
change is obvious. The practice of immersion, 
apostolic and primitive as it was, was peculiarly 
suitable for the southern and eastern countries 
for which it was designed, and peculiarly un- 
suitable to the tastes, the conveniences, and the 
feelings of the countries of the North and West. 



118 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

Not by any decree of Council or Parliament, 
but by the general sentiment of Christian lib- 
erty this great change was effected. Not be- 
ginning till the thirteenth century, it has 
gradually driven the ancient catholic usage 
out of the whole of Europe. . . . Speaking 
generally, the Christian civilized world has 
decided against it [immersion]. It is a striking 
example of the triumph of common sense and 
convenience over the bondage of form and 
custom. Perhaps no greater change has ever 
taken place in the outward form of Christian 
ceremony with such general agreement. The 
facility of the change shows how the spirit 
which lives and moves in human society can 
override the most sacred ordinances.- . . . The 
substitution of sprinkling for immersion must, 
to' many, at the time, as to the Baptists now, 
have seemed the most dangerous innovation. 
By most [Roman] Catholics, and by most Prot- 
estants it is resfarded as almost second nature. 
" Another change is not so complete, but it 
is perhaps more important. In the apostolic 
age, and in the three centuries that followed, 
it is evident that as a general rule, those who 



» 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 119 

came to baptism came in full age, of their 
own deliberate choice. We find a few cases 
of the baptism of children ; in the third cen- 
tury we find one case of the baptism of in- 
fants. . . . Gradually the practice spread, and 
after the fifth century the whole Christian 
world, east and west, [Roman] Catholic and 
Protestant, Episcopal and Presbyterian (with 
the single exception of the sect of the Bap- 
tists), baptize children in their infancy. 

"There are many other changes consequent 
on the substitution of infant for adult baptism. 
The whole institution of sponsors is of later 
date. 

" The change from immersion to sprinkling 
has set aside the larger part of the apostolic 
language regarding baptism, and has altered 
the very meaning of the word." 

Conybeare and Howson, in ^* Life and Epis- 
tles of Paul," vol 1, page 471 (Am. Ed., page 
439), remarks : 

"It is needless to add that baptism was 
(unless in exceptional cases^) administered by 

1 These authors do not profess to know of a single 
exception in the apostolic age. 



120 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

immersion, the convert being plunged beneath 
the surface of the water to represent liis death 
to the life of sin, and then raised from the 
momentary burial to represent resurrection to 
the life of righteousness. It must be a subject 
of regret that the general discontinuance of 
this original form of baptism (though perhaps 
necessary in our Northern climate) has ren- 
dered obscure to popular apprehension some 
very important passages of Scripture." 

Says Alexander DeStourdza (above quoted), 
" The church of the West has then departed 
from the example of Jesus Christ. She has 
obliterated the whole sublimitv of the exterior 
sign ; in short, she commits an abuse of words 
and ideas in practicing baptism by aspersion, 
the very term being in itself a derisive contra- 
diction." (Quoted in Dr. Conant's " Baptizein," 
page 151.) 

One cold winter afternoon as the sun was 
hastening to the western horizon, a ship lying 
amid floating ice fields near the Breakwater 
at the mouth of Delaware Bay, sent up a 
signal flag to her masthead. It signified, 
*' There is a boat away from the ship amid the 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 121 

ice ; help us." Which was correctly so read 
by Mr. Burbage, the signal agent at Lewes. 

In the circumstances, the sun nearly down, 
no man judged it worth his while to go three- 
quarters of a mile to the beach and then ad- 
venture his life among the ice floes to save a 
mere boat. But the agent, wishing to com- 
prehend the situation fully, with a view to 
affording, as far as possible, all really needed 
aid, signaled back the question, " Is there any- 
body in the boat ?" This being read on board, 
other flags were immediately sent up to the 
masthead, now signaling, "There is a boat 
away from the ship. Four men in it. Pre- 
vented from getting back to the ship by the 
ice. Help us." 

Immediatelv this simal was read in Lewes. 
All was haste and activity. The news of the 
danger ran from mouth to mouth. Very soon 
men were hurrying to the beach, and seventy 
or more with ropes and planks and boats, 
vigorously at work, ere the night came on, 
brought the boat with its crew safe to land. 

Saved from a night- of horror and a dread- 
ful death ! 
11 



122 THE lord's one baptism. 

" A word to the wise is sufficient.'' How 
imperative that the signal be accurate! How 
specially imperative that it be accurate when 
things eternal are its subject! 

Too well may we regret the " obliteration 
of the whole sublimity of the exterior sign." 
The "obscuring to popular apprehension of 
some very important passages of Scripture." 
The change that " has set aside the larger part 
of the apostolic language regarding baptism.' 

The facts respecting God's holiness and 
man's death to him by sin ; of God's remedy 
by having man die and be buried, and rise 
again with the Christ, so coming into oneness 
with him and with each other ; the new federal 
headship of the Christ as the Second Adam ; 
the phenomenon of partnership, co-heirship, 
fellowship, community with the Christ; the 
facts of his leadership; of " sacramentum " to 
the Leader ; of a new life, begun with a resur- 
rection ; of faith, continuing in fidelity ; that 
the body as well as the soul is the Christ's ; 
the fact of a coming resurrection of the body 
to a glorious immortality — all these are sadly 
indistinct to the minds of the people. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 123 

In the days of the Lord and his apostles, 
" The word," '' The water," and '' The blood " 
(Matt. 26 : 28 ; Mark 14 : 24 ; Luke 22 : 20 ; 
1 Cor. 11 : 23-29 ; Acts 20 : 7), were a triple 
instrumentality in the hands of the Holy Spirit ; 
himself, with the " water " and the " blood " a 
witness. But one of these at least, " The laver 
of regeneration," the " water," plenteous 
though it is, has, to a great extent, been taken 
out of his hands. 

We gaze upon the deplorable result. 

How strangely sounds the nomenclature of 
the professedly Christian world to-day — Greek, 
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Epis- 
copalian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Congrega- 
tional, Baptist, Quaker. 

Where are we ? Truly these all are bodies, 
not one body controlled by one Spirit. The 
control of that " one Spirit " would doubtless 
have developed one symmetrical body. The 
church of the New Testament was one body, 
for the possession of one Spirit, the Holy 
Spirit, as there was one hope in the calling 
of its members " one Lord," "one faith," "one 
baptism." 



124 THE lord's one baptism. 

Several of these bodies are characterized by 
fidelity to most of the teaching of the Lord. 
Most of them have found another than the 
divine instrumentality of formation, of organ- 
ization. They have changed both subject and 
rite. They have neither sought only for pre- 
pared " living stones," nor taken heed how 
they builded upon the only " foundation." 

A change of subjects would naturally con- 
stitute a body different from the church of 
the New Testament. 

1. If one, on attaining a state of responsi- 
bility before God, possesses the Christian 
mind, but was rhantized or baptized in un- 
conscious infancy, forestalled therein, he is 
prohibited the " committal " of himself in 
his Lord's appointment. Hence, he loses the 
benefit designed by its Author : Its peculiar 
sensation of an objective cutting adrift from 
that which is carnal. There is not an ob- 
jective grave into which he has been, and 
from which he has risen, and which lies as a 
dividing line, a gulf of separation, between 
himself and carnal things. He loses its pe- 
culiar sensation of " committal," of sacrificial 



THE LORD S ONE BAPTISM. 125 

devotion, of " consecration " to the Triune 
God ; its sensation also of " community " with 
the Christ. He has been robbed of the 
divinely appointed instrument of voluntary 
confession of his Lord before the world, and 
of personal blessing. In an unconscious hour 
he has been circumvented by a human institu- 
tion which has supplanted the divine ordi- 
nance. 

2. It need not be said that the same disad- 
vantages largely obtain where the fit subject 
from lack of knowledge submits to rhantism 
instead of being baptized. 

3. If, on attaining a state of responsibility be- 
fore God, those who were rhantized in infancy 
possess the practically infidel mind, which is 
common, yet become" confirmed " members of 
"the church,*' we have then a spiritual 
"Babel.'' Not the church (JxArjaia), but a 
mixed multitude — believing, pious souls, and 
the impious, often the profanely blasphemously 
so, inextricably mixed. 

The efifbrt for conversion, and demand for 
it in order to recognized membership, in some 
Christian bodies who practice infant rhantism, 
11* 



126 THE lord's one baptism. 

is more or less effective in preventing such 
confusion in them. 

It is a strange, but instructive, phenomenon 
that in proportion as the confusion exists in a 
body called Christian, there co- exists a proud 
claim of being, " the church " The pride of 
this claim seems to be the counterpart of the 
confusion. The measure of the one is the 
measure of the other. 

All this, as if the characteristics of humble 
faith, fidelity, obedience, piety, love, charity, 
virtue, righteousness (the lineaments of the 
church of the New Testament), were not the 
essential features, and the perpetual stamp of 
the " church of God." 

The Roman Church (presumptously assum- 
ing to be catholic) with material largely alien 
to Christ, and with a device of its own instead 
of Christian baptism, has formed a " body '*' in 
the Pope, its head. Theoretically, it has 
another head between itself and Christ, the 
" head of the body, the church." Not infre- 
quently, and perhaps always, inseparably from 
the attitude in which he poses, this mortal 
head assumes, practically, a superposition — a 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 127 

mortal head above the divine ; a body ^Yith 
two heads! an anomaly. The Roman insti- 
tution is an anomaly. 

Where kings have assumed, or have been 
thrust into the same relation with " national 
churches," they present the same ludicrous 
phenomenon. The " body " of the New Tes- 
tament is another, a natural and symmetrical 
body, with " one head." 

This papal and princely *' heading " of re- 
ligion is natural enough in the pontificates of 
Paganism, and Buddhism, and in the cali- 
phate of Mohammedanism. In Christianity it 
is preposterous. It is needless to add that to 
the extent to which it assumes superposition 
in a professedly Christian system, as it has 
often intelligently done in the Papacy, it is 
impious in the highest degree. 

Episcopacy in its various nomenclature in 
different lands has made " patriarchs," " arch- 
bishops," " bishops," and " priests " the center 
of gravity, (not in the peculiarity of " faith " 
in which, in a relative sense, the first disciples 
of the Lord were). 

Other "bodies," which are not guilty of 



128 THE lord's one baptism, 

either of these two follies, but which have 
substituted another for the divine method of 
organization, sometimes plead : " The body, 
the church spoken of by Paul, is a * spiritual 
body.' The unity prayed for by Christ is a 
'spiritual thing.' ^ We are all divisions of 
the same army. We can do more good by 
different * denominations,' " etc. That they 
are " divisions " there can be no doubt what- 
ever. 

We may not analyze the motives of all this 
lawless conduct, nor say, "It is a question of 
motives." Said the Lord, " The tree is known 
by its fruits." 

How much wiser are the doctors and the 
philosophers of the nineteenth century than 
were the first apostles to whom the Lord gave 
the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Yea, 
how much wiser are they than the Lord, the 
Leader himself. The attitude of the Lord to 
his disciples ; his rebukes of carnal aspiration, 
that parent of *' division ; " his prescience of 

iThe term "spiritual" is used in tbe New Testa- 
ment in a sense very different from this modern 
sense. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 129 

coming schism, and his prayer for the concrete, 
spiritual, organic *' unity ; '' all reveal his mind 
and will, the mind and will of God. 

Instead of fostering or countenancing de- 
nominations or parties as the most effective 
instruments of good, the apostles vigorously 
condemn partisanism, and most vigorously 
urge and foster spiritual, corporeal unity, " But 
I beseech you, brethren, through the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the 
same thing, and that there be no divisions 
among you, but that ye be made complete in 
the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 
Cor. 1 : 10.) 

*' Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those 
who are causing divisions and occasions of 
stumbling, contrary to the teaching which ye 
learned, and turn away from them. For they 
that are such serve not our Lord Christ but 
their own belly, and by their kind and smooth 
speech deceive the hearts of the guileless." 
(Kom. 16 : 17, 18.) 

*'I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, 
exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with 
which ye were called, with all lowliness . and 



ISO THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

meekness, with long suffering, bearing with 
one another in love, earnestly endeavoring to 
keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 
There is one body and one Spirit, as also ye 
were called in one hope of your calling, one 
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and 
Father of all, who is over all, and through all, 
and m all/' (Eph. 4 : 1-6.) 

These are examples of apostolic language 
respecting this matter. To prevent schism, to 
preserve the " unity,'' the Apostle Paul trav- 
ersed sea and land to Jerusalem and back to 
the churches, which, as a wise master builder, 
under the Great Builder, he had built. To 
this end did the first Christian Council con- 
vene in Jerusalem and deliberate and decide 
and send forth the " decrees " to the churches. 

Be it borne in mind that it was the original, 
the true " unity," which they had established, 
which they sought to conserve and sustain. 
Their protest is against division in that body, 
not against withdrawal from any corrupt, gro- 
tesque caricature that might in later days 
assume its name and claim its right and 
authoritv. 



THE load's one baptism. 131 

Our Bible studies reveal to us the " body of 
Christ," the "church/' the "Temple of God" 
as an objective, tangible reality, to be pos- 
sessed, controlled by the Holy Spirit, a 
temple constructed of prepared stones, put 
together according to the Architect's design, 
not of prepared stones put together according 
to the design of some other than he. Nor of 
prepared stones lying around or thrown to- 
gether in confusion. " Ye are God's building," 
said Paul. Our Bible studies reveal to us the 
body of Christ as composed of fit elements 
brought into organized harmony — a living, 
sympathetic, responsive, harmonious organism 
— not good and fit elements out of relation ; to 
say nothing of the incorporation and entertain- 
ment of alien elements, constituting a Babel 
instead of the church. 

The partisan, being of a party, may philo- 
sophize. It is the function of the various 
types of these to apologize for the special party 
or parties to which they belong ; in justifica- 
tion of the existence of that one or of those, to 
make, perhaps, a general apology for the ex- 
istence of all or for some of the rest. But the 



132 THE lord's one baptism. 

sad fact remains as foreknown and foreshown 
by the first servants of the Lord, that rival 
parties engender and perpetuate unhallowed 
rivalry, a rivalry which stifles and crushes out 
the tender sympathies begotten of the Spirit 
of God, is fatal to the '' unity of the Spirit 
in the bond of peace " — a rivalry that grieves 
the Spirit, quenches the Spirit, and sub- 
stitutes party zeal for zeal for God. There 
may be a fire, a life, not of the Holy Spirit 
of God. 

Alas for this rivalry! Alas for this prosti- 
tution of energy ! Alas, too, that there are eight 
hundred and fifty-six million heathen, one 
hundred and seventy-two million Mohammed- 
ans, eight million unbelieving Jews, and 
about one hundred million infidels and skeptics 
in the world to-day, while the nineteenth cen- 
tury since the Messiah gave his benevolent 
command is far spent. 

Meanwhile the world gazes upon the spec- 
tacle of those over whom the Triune Name has 
been called often engaged in deadly war with 
each other. Often too, are those who are be- 
lievers in a common Lord, and in common 



THE LORD S ONE BAPTISM. 133 

sympathy with him, foremost among the brave, 
seeking mutually to slay each other. 

The least that can be said of this phenome- 
non, is, that if these believers are members of 
a common kingdom, it is civil war. If these 
believers are members of a common brother- 
hood, it is fratracide. If these believers are 
members of a common body, it is self-mutila- 
tion — self-destruction — suicide. What a spec- 
tacle for the delectation of the devil and his 
angels ! 

It has been a common spectacle through the 
ages. It is likely to recur at any moment. It 
has occurred on a gigantic scale. It may 
occur at any moment on a scale larger than 
before. Where, oh, where is the kingdom and 
power of God? 

To plead the authority of kings or princes 
or secular powers as an apology for this shock- 
ing phenomenon is idle. As the word of God 
is the statute book of his kingdom, the place 
of that kingdom is above those powers. Their 
legitimate office is that of subordinate admin- 
istrators in secular things. 

To quote the injunction of Paul to the 
12 



134 THE lord's one baptism. 

Romans (13 : 1), " Let every soul submit him- 
self to the authorities that are over him." Or of 
1 Peter 2:13, "Be subject to every human in- 
stitution ; for the Lord's sake ; whether to the 
king as pre-eminent, or to governors as sent 
through him/' is impertinent to the matter. 
Such use of the passages would implicate the 
Christ himself as in opposition to God wherever 
and whenever he opposed the powers that were. 
Such use of the passages would render nuga- 
tory all the Christ's incentives to a brave con- 
fession of himself before kings and rulers and 
all men. It would make the word of God enjoin 
the renunciation of allegiance to the Lord 
Jesus when secular powers dictated it, and in- 
volve all the martyrs of Jesus in opposition to 
the will of God. 

The contexts of the passages show that 
the apostles are enjoining subjection to the 
authorities as being ordained of God to punish 
evil doing — evil doing that is recognized as 
such by all, and is destructive of social purity, 
confidence and peace. The Christians are en- 
joined to be good citizens. But where these 
subordinate authorities and their laws conflict 



THE LORDS ONE BAPTISM. 135 

with the laws of the kingdom of God, the book 
containing these laws points the way. '•' Render 
to Csesar the things that are Caesar's, and to 
God the things that are God's." (Matt. 22 : 21.) 
" Whether it is right in the sight of God to 
listen to you rather than to God, judge ye." 
(Acts 4 : 19.) 

The root of our dissrrace is not hard tu find. 
The divisions in the ranks of the confessors of 
the Christ — a huge prostitution of spiritual 
energy, and also a hindrance to the generation 
of that energy — must answer for it. 

Having so generally laid aside the divinely 
appointed instrument of organization, the fit 
elements for the " Body " of Christ are not 
brought together ; they are in a disorganized 
state. The members are out of relation. The 
substitution of another instrument and the in- 
troduction of alien elements have made a very 
Babel of confusion. The *' Sacramentum '' — 
now mutilated — is but vaguely apprehended : 
the Leader is not followed with fidelity. The 
obliteration of the sublimity of the exterior 
sign finds its counterpart, its correspondent, 
in the carnal individualism of believers. The 



136 THE lord's one baptism. 

kingdom is divided. Many authorities, insub- 
ordinate to the King, are thrust between him 
and his subjects ; between his subjects them- 
selves ; between the Head and the Body, and 
between the different members of that Body. 

Often at war with each other, these author- 
ities can draw at will from the fit subjects for 
the kingdom of God to fill their respective 
armies. And to gain their desired ends they 
can hurl them at each other in deadly strife. 
Thus the " beasts " are ruling.^ As long as 
they can use its members thus, the kingdom 
of God will be counted by them a harmless, 
and in many ways, a useful thing. 

In the full operation of the divine order : 
" In one Spirit all baptized into one Body, and 
all made to drink of one Spirit," there could 
be no Christian Englishman, American, 
Frenchman, German, Italian, Austrian, Span- 
iard, Portuguese, Belgian, Eussian, Greek, 
etc., etc, hurled at each other in deadly strife : 
They would be one. (1 Cor. 12 : 13 ; Gal. 
3 : 26-29.) Patriots for one dear country, 

1 See Dan. 7 and Kev. 13. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 187 

subjects of one Great King, brothers of one 
loving family, members of one sensitive body, 
they would not only refrain from self-destruc- 
tion ; no stroke could touch even the lowliest 
member without sympathetic response from 
all. '• Whether one member suffers, all the 
members suffer with it ; or one member is 
honored, all the members rejoice with it." 

The lines between the kingdom of God and 
that of Satan, now inextricably confused and 
entangled with schismatic lines, and with the 
misplacement of their respective subjects, 
would become distinct, palpable, sharply 
drawn, as divinely purposed. 

In the full operation of the divine order 
the " sons of God,*' the great " brotherhood," 
the " kingdom of God, of heaven," the " one 
body " (that of Christ), organic, living, instinct 
with the Holy Spirit, would be the peacemaker. 
First, last, and always one, and characterized 
by recognized wisdom and impartiality in 
judgment, and by fervent zeal for the high in- 
terests of man, this power would be the great 
arbitrator of disputes and misunderstandings 
among the nations. Through its councils (the 
12-* 



138 THE lord's one baptism. 

highest visible authority in the church), ap- 
pointed either for general or special, specific 
work, it would speak in the interests of right- 
eousness — in the well-known, indisputable in- 
terests of man, with a voice which alien powers, 
separately, dare not refuse to hear. 

Many rulers and governments convicted 
through this divine and divinely prayed for 
unity of the apostolate ^ of Jesus the Messiah, 
and of the love of God, would take their places 
as secular administrators in the realm of the 
Heavenly King. 

As various alien rulers and powers could no 
longer impress into their armies for selfish and 
bloody ends the subjects of the Kingdom of 
God who may reside in their domains, oppo- 
sition there would be, opposition even to the 
extent of a combination of the kings of the 
earth and their armies to destroy this kingdom 
with the sword. The issue would be forced — 
the crisis long foretold would come. 

" And I saw heaven opened, and lo, a white 

iSee John 17: 21-23; also Heb. 3: 1; and all 
passages where Jesus speaks and is spoken of as being 
*'Sent.'» 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 139 

horse, and he who sat on him called Faithful 
and True, and in righteousness he judges and 
makes war. And his eyes are as a flame of 
fire, and on his head are many diadems ; and 
he had a name written, which no one knows 
but he himself. And he is clothed in a garment 
sprinkled with blood ; and his name is called 
the Word of God.^ And the armies which are 
in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed 
in fine linen, white, pure. And out of his 
mouth goeth forth a sharp sword : that with it 
he may smite the nations ; and he will shep- 
herd them with a rod of iron f^ and he treadeth 
the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath 
of God, the Almighty. And he has on his 
garment, and on his thigh, a name written, 
King of kings and Lord of lords. 

" And I saw an angel standing in the sun. 
And he cried with a great voice, saying to all 
the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come, gather 
yourselves together to the great Supper of 
God ; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and 



1 Compare 1 John 1 : 2, and John 1 : 1, 14. 
2Kev. 12:5;Ps. 2:9. 



140 THE lord's one BAPTISM. 

the flesh of captains of thousands, and the 
flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses 
and of those who sit on them, and the flesh 
of all, both free and bond, and small and 
great. 

" And I saw the beast, and the kings of the 
earth and their armies, gathered together to 
make war with him who sat on the horse and 
with his army. And the beast was seized, and 
with him the false prophet that wrought the 
signs in his sight, with which he led astray 
those who received the mark of the beast, and 
who worshiped his image. The two were cast 
alive into the lake of fire, that burns with 
brimstone.^ And the rest were killed with 
the sword of him who sat on the horse, which 
sword came forth out of his mouth : and all 
the birds were filled with their flesh. 

" And I saw an ansfel cominsf down out of 
heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a 
great chain in his hand. And he laid hold 
of the dragon (Kev. 12), the old serpent 
(Gen. 3), which is the Devil and Satan, and 

1 Compare Kev. 13 and Dan. 7 : 11 and context. 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 141 

bound him for a thousand years, and cast him 
into the abyss and shut it, and sealed it over 
him, that he should lead the nations astray 
no more until the thousand years should be 
finished ; after these he must be loosed for a 
little season. 

*• And I saw thrones and they that sat on 
them ; and judgment was given to them ; and 
the souls of those who had been beheaded on 
account of the testimony of Jesus, and on 
account of the word of God, and whoever did 
not worship the beast, nor his image, and did 
not receive the mark on their forehead, and 
on their hand ; and they lived, and reigned 
with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the 
dead lived not until the thousand years should 
be finished. This is the first resurrection. 
Happy and holy is he that hath part in the 
first resurrection : over these the second death 
has no authority ; but they shall be priests of 
God and of Christ, and they shall reign with 
him a thousand years." (Rev. 19 : 11-20 : 6. 
Compare Isa. 63 : 1-6.) 

" There was given him dominion, and glory, 
and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations 



142 THE lord's one baptism. 

and languages should serve him ; his domin- 
ion is an everlasting dominion which shall not 
pass away, and his kingdom that which shall 
not be destroyed. 

" The saints of the most high shall re- 
ceive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom 
for ever, even for ever and ever. 

'* And the kingdom and the dominion, and 
the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole 
heaven, shall be given to the people of the 
saints of the most high ; his kingdom is an 
everlastino^ kino^dom. and all dominions shall 
serve and obey him." (Dan. 7 : 14, 18, 27 ; 
compare 2 : 44.) 

The scene unveiled in Rev. 19 : 11-21 : 6 is 
evidently that foreseen by Isaiah (63 : 1-6) 
" The year of ' my redeemed is come.'' And 
which impels him to say, " I will mention the 
loving kindnesses of Jehovah, and the praises 
of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah 
hath bestowed on us." 

In Revelation (19 : 1-10) we hear the heav- 
enly exultation in view and anticipation of the 
happy result. Not with the " lightning of his 
sword " did the Lord inaugurate the kingdom 



THE lord's one BAPTISM. 143 

of heaven, of God, but with sweet persuasion, 
" Go disciple all the nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Spirit." But, " as I live," 
saith the Lord, "every knee shall bow, and 
every tongue shall confess." 

Revelation 20 : 7-22 : 15 reveals the final 
consummation. At an appointed time the 
sceptre will be briefly disputed and con- 
tended for by Satan, who for the occasion will 
be liberated from the abyss ; but it is too late. 
It is the hour of final judgment. And the 
kingdom of God upon a new earth with new 
heavens, with mortality swallowed up of life ; 
as pictured by many Scriptures, sinless, pure, 
peaceful, glorious, happy, abides. 

For this rule, and dominion, and kingdom 
we are taught by the Lord to pray : 

" Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed 
be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be 
done as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this 
day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, 
as we also have forgiven our debtors. And 
bring us not into temptation, but deliver us 
from the evil one." (Matt. 6 : 9-13.) 



144 THE lord's one baptism. 

ADMONITIONS. 

" Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's 
good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 
(Luke 12 : 32.) 

" Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that can- 
not be shaken, let us have grace whereby we 
may serve God acceptably with reverence and 
awe : for our God is a consuming fire." 
(Heb. 12 : 28.) 

Let us go forth as true successors of the 
first servants of the Lord, " discipling all the 
nations : baptizing them into the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Spirit." Assured that he is redeeming the 
promise, ^'Lo, I am with you all the days, 
even unto the end of the world." 

BEATITUDES. 

'' Happy are they who wash their robes, 
that they may have right to the tree of life, 
and may enter by the portals into the city.*' 
(Rev. 22 ; 14.) 

THE END. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



